Into the Flames
by black-venom-heart
Summary: Alanna was the first, Kel was the second, Tortall needs another lady knight. A young girl begins her epic journey full of hardships to earn her shield as a Lady Knight. Set after Protector of the Small
1. Beginning of a Journey

*****Update 4-27-12 – I'm no longer updating this particular version of my story. I had too many errors and frankly I set myself up when I left out a lot in the beginning so I found that I wrote myself into an inescapable corner. Anyways, I'm completely re-writing it and will continue on with this story in **_**Into the Flames: Revised**_** (such an original title, I know). Same plot line only better presented and I'll totally finish the story under that title. Just FYI in case you wandered in here and had no idea about my intentions.*****

*****Last notice (sorry) - If you wander into this story for the first time I totally suggest going to read my revised version instead of this since you're obviously going to get alot of spoilers. If it doesn't matter to you, than totally go ahead and read but swing back to my revised story because that's the only one I'm going to update. Also, give it about a few chapters before you decide whether or not you like it. It gets better(my rewritten story that is)*****

_**Prologue **_

_The soft thud of her boots against the flagstones and her labored breathing were the only sounds she heard as she ran up the stairs of the dark, narrow tower. Not even the battle cries of her comrades from the castle below penetrated through the walls. _

_No one would hear her if she screamed for help._

_Her pace started to slow and her breathe came in ragged gasps. No, she couldn't give up now. He was depending on her. Of course I'll save him, she thought, I just have to rest a little. The wound on her side was slowly trickling blood and numerous other cuts over her body were slowly seeping out her precious life blood. Her heart thudded madly and her temples throbbed. This was not her way out. She had a mission to finish, a promise to keep. _

_A cry from the top of the tower fueled her and with a crazed, determined grin she raced up the remaining stairs and rammed through the door. _

_She saw him, kneeling on the floor, in a puddle of his own blood, being held up by a blackened, burnt hand. The owner of the hand held a dagger in his other hand, holding it up against the kneeling man's throat._

"_So sorry, m'lady. You came too late." He laughed manically and drew back his arm and down the dagger flashed towards the exposed throat as she screamed. _

The sudden jerking of the carriage slammed Selene's head into the side, waking her up from her boredom induced slumber. She looked around, orange eyes still sleepy, and they landed on her uncle, who gave a loud snort and continued his sleep. Selene sighed and turned her tired gaze out the tiny opening in the carriage that barely classified as a window. The sight did nothing to improve her already dark mood. It was raining; even more so since they had left the convent on their way to the palace. This journey was important to her, the start of a new life, and yet it already yielded nothing but a wet cold beginning. Boredom, too, was dragging her down as well, as it was too dark to read or write in the carriage and her uncle seemed intent as catching as much sleep as possible.

Still, she should be thankful that someone from her family was generous enough to accompany her on this trip, or rather her family only sent someone so they could keep on eye and make sure she didn't get into any trouble.

Sighing, she fingered the warm silver bracelets on her wrists, tiny engraved symbols running the circumference. She had no idea what they meant but she had been wearing them since she was five years old. They were there to keep her Gift in check, to make sure her powers never got out of control.

"_This is for your safety and for other's safety as well," _Numair had said to her when he fashioned them especially from the purest silver. _"You must wear them at all times. Until we know how your Gift really works, this is the best way to ensure you do not over use your powers and they don't consume you"_

Of course, she thought, the added burden of her strange Gift and her power limiters were two more things that totally set her apart from every normal noble in Tortall.

Her mother thought it would have been for the best when she sent Selene to the convent. The convent was an easy enough place, learn to be a perfect lady and you could be married off to a wealthy, well-off noble husband and live out your life as a perfect little housewife. Selene thought that her mother's imagined life for her reduced her to nothing more then a doll, someone who had to be dressed by no less then four maids, someone who had to be accompanied everywhere she went and someone who was empty-headed and only lived for the material objects around her. This was not the life Selene had imagined for herself. She knew no man in their right mind would marry her. If only she-

**Thud!**

Another pothole jerked the carriage to the side and for the uptenth time that day Selene hit her head on the side of the carriage. Her uncle was thrown from his seat and landed on the floorboards of the carriage.

"What in the name of Mithros was that?" he exclaimed.

"Another pothole, Uncle, you've slept through the last hundred we've trecked through." His niece answered in her normal sarcastic voice.

"No need for smart remarks." Of course everything she said was considered a smart remark or something equally stupid. "Now a lady must remember to be docile and…"

Selene closed her eyes as another one of her uncle's lectures went through her ear and out the other.

"Selene! Listen to me! Don't you dare-" the rest of his words were cut off as the carriage drew to a sudden halt. From outside came the sounds of numerous horses riding up and the sound of laughing men.

"The Gypsy Bandits," whispered her uncle, who instantly paled, and hurriedly began praying. The Gypsy Bandits were plaguing the major highways leading to the capital city, mocking the king saying that he couldn't even protect his people on the outskirts of his own city. Selene rolled her eyes. Gypsy Bandits, she thought, these were going to be easy to get rid of.

The door of the carriage was ripped open, almost off its hinges and the darkened light of the rainy skies entered the carriage. Rough hands reached inside and grabbed Selene and her uncle, dragging them out into the torrential downpour. Damn it all, she thought. I hope the rain won't affect my powers.

"Well, well, well, looky wha' we've got ourselves here," A large, scarred man stood in front of Selene and looked her over with lustful eyes. "A cute little girlie, all prettie and pure. Heahea not for long, gents." The rest of the bandit group gave coarse, cruel laughs.

This is ridiculous, Selene thought. What do I look like to them? A harem slave up for auction?

She closed her orange eyes and called to her Gift, her silver bracelets giving off a soft glow.

"Hey, wha' the bloody hell you think you doin'?" The large bandit grabbed her by the front of her cloak and dragged her up. "Wha'ever you doin' you better be stopping' tha'."

Selene's eyes snapped open and she thrust her hands forward into the man's face as bright orange fire erupted from her hands. The bandit dropped her onto the muddy ground as the fire spread over his body. He screamed and wailed like a crazed animal and within seconds was reduced to nothing but a charred carcass. The other bandits stared at her.

"Well then, who's next, you dirty bastards?" Selene challenged the men.

"Why you little bitch!" Two other men rushed forward, stolen swords in hands. Selene stepsided them and spread a line of fire at one the men, entering him through the back and erupting from chest. He stopped suddenly as the magic fire burned his insides. Selene knew this was a particularly painful way to die. The man fell into the mud as he too screamed like a wounded animal as the fire slowly burned away at all his organs. Selene threw a small bolt of fire at the second bandit. It caught on his cloak and then exploded, sending bloody bits of human debris everywhere.

The remaining bandits looked on with horror and ran back to their horses.

"This won't be the last time we meet," shouted one of the bandits. "We'll make you pay you evil wretch! Mithros curses on you!" With that they rode back from where they came, the rain hiding them from sight and masking the sound of their retreat.

Selene looked down at her dress, which was mud soaked and spotted with blood. Her uncle shook his head.

"I don't know if your Gift is a blessing or a curse, but it scares me an eleven year can do that."

Selene flashed her uncle a small dangerous smirk. "Don't worry uncle, just don't piss me off."

**Please review and tell me what you think!**


	2. Beautiful Friendship

**AN: Haha ok since this is Fanfiction I took some liberties and decided that Alanna would have another son named Leo and King Jonathan would have another son named Robyn. Both are about the same age.**

Scrutining brown eyes matched the girls orange ones as Lord Padraig Haminch surveyed the small, black-haired girl before him. She was twelve from what her file said but to him she looked more like nine. Her small face looked ethereal, with delicate pixie like features and pale skin, skin that of the expected complexion of a lady. Her strange orange eyes were big, adding to her pixie looks. They were sorrowful, angry and resentful.

Just what had she been through, thought Lord HaMinch. First she spends a year in the convent to become a lady then gets kicked out. That was what her file read, but no explanation as to why she was kicked out. Whatever the reason, the girl did not like a future knight to him.

"Becoming a knight will be hard," Lord Haminch started his speech he gave to all first year pages. "You will be tested mentally, physically and emotionally. If you survive the eight years of training, you will earn your shield and the rewards will be numerous. In your training, you will have no days off. Knights do not have days off either, and you will be treated as such."

Lord Haminch waited for some response from Selene but she gave none. The training master went on.

"As a girl page, you will be treated the same as any of the boys; no special treatment or favors because of your sex."

"I expected as much," Selene interrupted.

"Good, then I hope it won't surprise you that you will be put on probation during the first year. This means I can expel you at any time if I see you lacking in your duties."

"Also no flirting with boys or any proctative behavior. For this I can also expel you. Any questions?" The tone of his voice made it very clear he wanted no questions, but Selene couldn't resist.

"Since I will be treated the same as the other boys do you insist I bathe with them well? Or will bathing separately be considered 'special treatment'?"

Selene's uncle turned red and started muttering an apology for his niece's impertinence.

"Careful page, you are on probation. Such remarks will reflect poorly on you. As for your answer you will bathe seperatly in the women's baths. Any other questions will be answered by the head of housekeeping or by older pages and squires. I look forward to seeing you on the practice field."

Selene stepped into her new room as a page and immediately took a strong liking to it. It had a bay window overlooking the city and the surrounding countryside. She sighed and dropped her bundle of new page clothing on her bed and sat down next to it. All her belongings had been brought up already but she wasn't much in the mood to unpack. A sudden image of her dormitory back at the convent came to her mind. No, she couldn't return there. Not after what she had done. Selene vowed she would not make the same mistake. If she failed as a page, she had no where else to go.

She thought of the advice her uncle had given her.

"_Although it's legal for women to become knights and Lady Kel has publicly earned her shield, people will still be skeptical of you and the other boys will try to deter you from your path. Remember you change your mind you can come home."_

Huh, Yeah right. She wasn't a coward like her uncle. Or a whore like her mother.

It was still raining outside, although it had slowed to a steady drizzle and showed no signs of stopping. Her room was chilly, but yet she was not cold. A perk of her Gift she supposed. Selene was a fire mage and a powerful one at that. A little too powerful for someone so young, that's why her family and Numair thought it would be wise for her to wear the power limiters. But her Gift had it uses. She could control fire like no other. Her eyes too, were another side effect of her Gift. Beautiful orange eyes indeed but an oddity.

She set her gaze on the empty fireplace, concentrated and a warm, bright fire burst to life. She went to stand before it, draping her cloak on a stool.

"Hello?" a voice came from her doorway.

Selene turned her head to see two boys, one with wild red hair and purple eyes and the other with dark black hair, standing on her threshold, looking on with huge surprised eyes.

"What? You never seen a girl before?" she retorted.

The red-headed boy hurriedly replied. "No, well yes, we have but not a girl page, wait you didn't ask that. We have seen-"

The black haired boy with laughing blue eyes cut his friend off. "We heard rumors that there was a girl page here. I guess the rumors are true."

"Yes they are. I'm here to stay by the way. So if you have any intention of running me off know nothing will stop me."

"Whoa, whoa nobody is going to stop you!" exclaimed the red head. "Well, not us in any case. How about being friends? My name is Leo."

"Haha that's short for Leonard, by the way," the other boy explained. "He hates it. I'm Robyn."

Selene gasped and curtsied. She couldn't believe Prince Robyn was standing in her room introducing himself to her!

"My apologies. My name is Selene. It's a pleasure to meet you your Highness."

"You don't have to do that," he grinned. "I don't like being treated like a royal prince by my peers. I just want to be friends with you."

Selene was still thinking about the fact that King Jonathan's own son was in her room!

"If you insist then…"

"Oh," Leo exclaimed wiping a fake tear from his eye. "This could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

Robyn laughed, while Selene kept her normal smooth façade.

"Come on Selene, there's so much to see in this palace!"

Selene hesitated. What if these boys were leading her on, teasing her, leading her into some sort of ambush? She couldn't help it. Her whole life she had been treated like that. Except now there was no one to turn to. She was on her own and she would deal with anyone that came in her way.

"Alright, show me the best the king has to offer."

**Review please? Thank you so much. I'm serious about continuing this story. **


	3. Bullies, of Course

**Egh when I went back to edit this chapter with correct names I accidently uploaded the wrong chapter so I had to rewrite this because the original copy is located on my computer that crashed and I haven't been able to get it fixed. Trust me, this is better than the original. I love this story but it's driving me insane!**

Robyn and Leo guided Selene through the extent of the Royal Palace. They showed her the long, golden-gilded hall of tapestries depicting all types of scenes. One tapestry was of a hunting party chasing a boar, another of a lady with a unicorn in her lap and a rather large one with Lamaos, the god of chaos, commanding his army. Selene stared at this for a few long seconds, trying to decipher the slight grin on the god's face. There were more wondrous more tapestries woven of the fine cloths still to see but the two boys drew Selene into another passage. Selene had felt as if she could have entertained many an hour in that fantastic corridor. They ran down a hallway with great, soaring windows on either side giving the impression of being on a glass-encased bridge. Today however, the grim storm clouds let in feeble light and the rain was pounding relentlessly on the window panes, promising a wet practice field tomorrow. The convent where Selene had spent a year was fine and decorated enough, but she could not have enough time here to wonder and ponder at every spectacle in the palace, for there were many. Robyn led them into the lower part of the castle, where the kitchens were located. They approached a broad wooden door, where the clamoring of pots and the general busy bustling of the kitchens could be heard. Robyn held a finger to his lips and ducked into the room. Moments later he returned with three small meat buns and motioned for them to run.

They didn't stop until they were back in the grand upper levels of the palace where Leo started freaking out, wondering if they were going to get caught. Robyn threw a careless arm around the smaller boy's shoulders and told him not to worry. The young prince then opened a set of elegantly decorated doors and they trooped in, the doors sounding shut behind them. Selene found they had entered the library, as she saw rows upon rows of large bookcases taking up most of the spacious library. A few ladders led to upper levels of the library, and Selene just how many books were here in this grand room. A vast marble fireplace was situated against the far right wall with a cozy fire burning merrily in the hearth. Worn but comfy looking armchairs and small sofas were in front of the fireplace, providing the sitter warmth and light. Heavy wooden tables and chairs were placed around the room and in between rows of books, most likely used for knights-in-training to study on. Robyn threw himself onto a sofa and began attacking his meat bun. It was apparent that Robyn very much enjoyed meat buns. Leo curled up into an armchair and ate his meat bun with much less vigor. Selene choose to sit directly in front of the fire, needing to feel its comforting heat.

Her glittering silver wristbands were illuminated by the flickering light and Leo noticed the silvery sheen dancing on Selene's arms.

"Hey Selene what are those?" Leo asked inquisitively.

"These?" Selene lifted one arm. "These are my power limiters. Because of my Gift, Numair thought it would be best for me to wear them, since no one knows the extent of my power."

"Really? Are you that strong?" Leo's purple eyes were wide in excitement.

"What kind of Gift do you have anyway?" Robyn asked, now licking his fingers from the meat bun.

"I'm a fire mage."

"Whoa like a battle mage?" Robyn inquired.

"Can battle mages do this?" Selene cupped her hands together and called her Gift. When she unfolded her hands, a small ball of fire was hovering above her palms. She softly blew on the fire and it dissolved into several little flames, each taking form as a miniature sailing ship. The fire ships took flight around the room, sailing lazily in the air and leaving a small trail of flames that evaporated after a few seconds. Leo gasped in astonishment and reached out to touch one of the ships and delighted in the fact that it was warm but did not burn his skin. Robyn too, was impressed and Selene allowed herself a small grin of achievement.

"See Robyn, aren't you jealous now that you can't do that?" Leo asked slyly.

Robyn flushed. "I'm an alright mage but I don't think you could do that either!"

"I could too! Selene could teach me, right?" Leo came and hugged her arm. Selene pushed him away and she realized she had hurt Leo by the look in his purple eyes. She was unused to such contact and the way Leo looked at her was heart-breaking.

"I'm sorry," She said. "You remind me of a puppy dog." If Leo had had a tail right then, it probably would have stopped wagging. Robyn laughed at Selene's animal reference to his dear friend, as he sometimes had to agree with her.

"So what is going on in here?" a drawling voice came from the library doors.

"Three small pages, three more servings of Freshmeat," said another boy, bringing laughter from the others with him. A group of older boys had entered the library, possibly squires, and Selene knew this would not end well.

"Why are you lazing about here? Shouldn't you be scrubbing our chamber pots?" This came from the first boy, obviously the leader of the group, and his friends laughed at his words.

"Shouldn't you be with your mommies? It's past your curfew isn't it?" Selene snapped back. Her temper had risen, as well as the fire next to her, for it became agitated when she did.

"Well, well, well," said the first boy. He had brown frizzy hair and the much dreaded acne of adolescence while his crocked nose did nothing to improve his looks. "It seems the rumors are true: A girl page has arrived. But she won't be staying for long." He softly added the last part.

"I'll be staying as long as I want!" Selene now stood up, although she was still short. "You swine!"

"Whoa whoa, you better respect you betters. Do you know who you're talking to?" the boy with the frizzy hair growled.

"No please enlighten me," Selene put as much sarcasm into her words as possible

"I'm Alden of Horganshold," He said proudly.

"Fantastic, now can you actually spell that?" Selene retorted.

The boy next to Alden grumbled and stepped towards her. "No Gordon, I'll take care of this!" Alden said and held his friend back. Selene walked towards Alden until they were only six feet apart. Robyn and Leo looked on, wanting to help the girl, but did not want to incur Alden's bullying and both privately resolved to jump in as soon as Alden made a move.

"I'm going to say this one time and one time only," Selene said defiantly, standing with her legs apart and arms crossed. "I'll say how long I'm going to stay. I'll say who I'll listen to and I'll decide whose snide comments and bullcrap I'm going to put up with. But. It. Won't. Be. You." she said these last words separately. "If you get in my way, I'll burn you to a crisp with the snap of my fingers!"

Gordon, Alden's friend who was slightly flabby for a knight in training and had watery eyes and thin hair, laughed at Selene's comment. "You're bluffing! The only one who has that much power is the sorcerer Numair and that tiny bitch Alanna!" A loud, demented battle cry sprung out of nowhere and a shock of red hair collided with Gordon, sending the large boy onto his back. Leo sat on Gordon and punched him as hard as he could and pulled on Gordon's dark blonde hair.

"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!" Leo was enraged now and Gordon was suddenly fearful of this brave boy with his strange purple eyes. "You can only ever hope to be half the knight she is!"

Gordon became aware of the considerable size advantage he had over Leo and seized the red-haired boy by his shoulders and shoved him into a bookcase. Leo was stunned by the blow and books fell on top of him. Alden take advantage of the chaos and pushed Selene roughly, while she came back with a wild kick.

"Enough!" Robyn stood in front of the group. "If you don't stop now, I will report you to my father."

"Who's your father, a lowly guard?" Alden growled.

"No he's Prince Robyn of Conté," The bullies gasped and fell to one knee bowing down to Robyn. "Yea I didn't know him either but it was a hell of a lot better introduction then this." Selene said.

"Go now and if I see any of you tonight the king will hear of it personally," warned Robyn.

"And if he doesn't I will," The boys turned to Selene. "But of course I'll tell Alanna instead and I might add that you tried to rape me. You better make sure you're well out of the country by than."

With that, the bullies turned and scrambled out the door, Alden pausing to cast a glance at Selene. "You better watch your back, you fire witch."

"You better watch where you're going," Selene grinned as Alden ran into the doorway. He curse and ran out, the library doors closing heavily. Leo sighed loudly.

"I wish I had as much courage as you do Selene," he said wistfully.

"Yes, because running head-on into a bully doesn't require any amount of bravery just large amounts of stupidity," Selene retorted. Leo blushed and Robyn lay laughing on the floor.

Selene saw a small flicker of light out of the corner of her eye. She spun quickly but nothing was there. She turned back to her friends when Leo let out a loud squeal as Robyn had put him into a headlock. The sight was so ridiculous to Selene that she couldn't help herself as she smiled broadly.

(line)

Later that night, long after lights out, Selene sat in front of her window and observed the crescent moon that shone in the Tortallan sky between patches of clouds that drifted across the heavens. The rain had slowly ceased to fall over dinner and had ended some hours ago. Selene had opened the window to let in the crisp night air and breathe in the refreshing breeze after rainfall. Water had accumulated in puddles and streams over the palace and was running down spires, buttresses and stone walls, covering the citadel in a resplendent pearly sheen. Here, Selene felt as if this was the right path she had choosen. No more did she have to worry about where she was to fit in, in the future. She felt as if she had her life in her grasp. However, Selene did not know how wrong she was, as something dark and sinister stared at the same crescent moon that night far away.

(line)

**So I hope that was up to last chapter's standards and the chapters do keep getting better, I must say. Keep in mind the figures in the tapestries. Review?**


	4. Breakfast of Champions

**Honorable reviewer mentions: Danielle of Ebony Creek, Aria657, x-LinaNumairsri-x. Sorry if this took to long to update. I went through a terrible break-up and had no heart to write. Enjoy it though. I still believe it is good ^^**

The pealing of bells awoke Selene. She stirred groggily from under her covers and was a bit confused at first as to where she was. Then realization came over her and she shoved her head under her pillow. The night had been long as she had been too nervous to sleep. She knew today a lot of the boys would be nasty and vile to her. Most likely they would shout out insults, push her around and during training: who knows what they would do?

Still, laying in bed and whining about it wouldn't help her reputation. She flung the covers off and swung her feet over the edge of the bed to rest on the threadbare carpet. Just one week ago she had woken up to the voices of the matrons in charge of the dorms in the convent. Selene couldn't stop the rush of memories that came to her again.

_She stood in the middle of the dormitory as smoke and flames engulfed everything around her. Overhead, the fire was slowing eating away at the support beams for the roof. Why couldn't she stop the fire? Why did she still hear screams when there was no one besides her? Wait, there was someone behind her…_

Shuddering violently. Selene jumped up and ran to the washbasin. She looked in mirror. Her looks hadn't changed over night. Nor had they changed in the past week. She had to admit, she looked nothing like a future knight, not even a simple page. Do I really belong here? Of course, she thought. This is where I belong.

Selene pulled on her scarlet and gold tunic along with comfortable leather shoes. Once again she looked in the mirror. Seeing herself in the fine clothes with the royal colors filled her with a sense of pride. Yes, she was confident this was her place.

Outside in the hallway, Selene joined up with Leo and Robyn, the latter looking as if he had been hit by a charging horse. Leo, on the other hand, was disgustingly happy, Selene thought. Much too happy for the morning. Leo grinned and waved at Selene as he spotted her.

"Selene over here! Come on, we're waiting for you! I can show you the way to the dining hall! And then - Ow!" Leo was cut off by a sharp rap to the head by a school-book-wielding Robyn.

"Please, please, Leo, no racket this morning. Let's just get through this day with a minimal amount of your usual stupid antics."

"What antics?" Leo cried. "I don't hit people with - OW!" Another sharp rap from Robyn's schoolbook silenced Leo. With puppy dog eyes he shuffled over to Selene and hugged her arm.

"Come on Selene we don't need to keep the prince of Tortall company if he insists on abusing us."

Selene tugged her arm back rather hurriedly and gave Leo a dark glare. Leo was unaccustomed to this sort of behavior.

"Is something wrong Selene? I'm so sorry if I did anything inappropriate." his pleading tone and full-blown honesty made it hard for her not to accept his apology.

"Its fine, Leo" she sighed. She wasn't at all good at reassuring people. "Just don't try any of that on me again." Her stomach growled and twisted with hunger. Selene realized she had barely eaten anything at all last night.

"Come on, are we going to stand here all day or what? I could eat a horse." Selene turned to leave, paused, then turned to Robyn. "Wait, where is the dining hall?"

Robyn grumbled something that sounded like "Follow me," although she couldn't be sure. As they made their way down the hallway, they passed another group of boys going to breakfast. When she came closer they spotted her and stopped short.

"Whoa, who is this small little girl, surely…." the speaker was another page, obviously in his last year as one, judging from his age. He had golden-brown hair, a very beautiful vibrant shade and he had a good looking, tanned face with clean cut features and the beginning of wisdom hair on his chin. He fell silent as he noticed Robyn and bowed low.

"Your Highness," the rest of the group followed suit.

"Oh finally someone recognizes me," Robyn muttered. Without another word, he pulled Selene and Leo down the hallway leaving behind the puzzled group of boys. Selene was a bit confused. Why did that boy recognize Robyn and Alden hadn't? Surely if you were going to pick on someone you should know your victim. Selene debated whether or not to ask Robyn, who , by the looks of it, was still trying to wake up.

Whatever, she thought. Maybe this will get his head going.

"Hey Robyn," Robyn grunted a little. Selene scowled. She did not like to be brushed off like that, by prince, blacksmith or pig she was not to be ignored. She grabbed his textbook and rapped him on his head. Robyn yelped, as Leo tried to suppress a grin..

"If you think you can just answer me like that then your sadly mistaken, your Highness," she said the honorific in a mocking tone. "At least have the common decency to acknowledge your friends!"

This woke Robyn up. Usually people were not so blunt with him, nor so harsh. I think I'm really starting to like this girl, Robyn thought. This could be a very good friendship…. Another hit from Selene broke him from his daze.

"I think his Highness needs to be dunked in some cold water on this fine morning, wouldn't you agree Leo?" Leo bobbed his head excitedly, wearing a huge smile on his sweet face. Selene scowled again.

"You remind me of a puppy dog," Leo pouted and started to say something while Selene turned to Robyn. "So why didn't Alden recognize you last night? Surely if he was going to start something he wouldn't have done it if the prince was there."

"Well I was mostly raised outside the capital," Robyn began. He motioned for the other two to follow him to the dining hall.

"What like a hut in the forest?" Selene couldn't resist teasing him a little.

"Very funny, but no. When I was little I was very ill most of the time and for the first three years I was mostly kept in the royal apartments. Rumors had floated around in court that I was dead or that I was deformed. The healers here suggested I be brought to cleaner, fresher air and to an area where it wasn't so crowded. My parents had tried every other option to improve my health but nothing worked." Here, the trio descended the staircase onto the main level and proceeded down the hall toward the large double doors of the dining hall. Laughter and conversation floated out towards them.

All male voices, Selene noticed. This was going to be interesting. They entered the hall and a few eyes caught the first year pages attempting to move towards the food without drawing any attention. A girl page, however, did not normally escape notice in a male dominated society. A hush fell over the hall as more and more pages and squires noticed her. Then came the whisperings.

Selene walked indifferently over to the buffet and slammed down a plate and cutlery onto her tray. Let them stare, she thought. Let them see the face of the new lady knight. Leo and Robyn too, attracted attention.

Robyn was the son of the king, so obviously most would be interested in that as its not everyday a prince of the realm tries for his shield. Leo, as sweet and innocent as he appeared, also attracted attention, as he was the son of the famed Alanna the Lioness, first lady knight in a hundred years.

Selene grinned with a small satisfaction, knowing together, they made up an unlikely mixed group, but they were sure to kick some ass if someone messed with them.

They made their way over to a table and sat down. Selene noticed no one else was eating and the staring was really starting to tick her off. Hadn't they ever seen a girl before? Suddenly, all the boys stood up bowed low. Selene quickly followed suit, just to see the king and the training master enter the dining hall and sit at the raised dais on the other end. King Jonathan smiled, small crinkles appearing at the corners of his laughing blue eyes, and motioned for the pages and squires to sit.

At once, everyone started to eat and the buzz of conversation returned, with many stares and pointing fingers aimed at the trio, but especially Selene. She wondered which of those assholes was going to be the next to try and run her out. She turned to Robyn and asked him to finish his explanation.

"Oh yeah," he said as he wiped porridge from his mouth. Leo was chugging down a glass of orange juice but was looking at Robyn to finish as well. "So the healers suggested I go live in the Coastal Hills, on a small royal estate. There I remained, sick but slowly regaining my health. Often I'd get worse but since I was eight I got better to ride and train. Sadly I stayed there for two more years, for fear of me getting worse." He sighed. "But here I am healthy as a horse."

Selene was very tempted to kick him and see if he was as healthy as he claimed, but knew it would do no good to hurt her new friend and prince.

"Hey Selene," Leo caught her attention. "You're twelve right?" Selene nodded. "So why didn't you come to the palace last year? Most pages start at age elevn."

"I didn't have a say as to where I would go," Selene started. This was going to be hard to explain." My mother sent me to the convent to become a lady but I hated every moment of it. Then….an accident happened and they wouldn't keep me there." Selene had faltered for a bit. No, she couldn't' explain all the way. "I was glad though, to come here. No more lady crap anymore."

Any further questions Leo and Robyn had were cut off by a bell signaling the beginning of morning lessons, and they sure had a lot for her. All three grabbed their book satchels and hurried out the door before one squire decided to make one of them run errands.

"Come on Selene, we have Writing and Reading first!" Leo exclaimed. He skipped through a patch of sunlight and the light fell on his vibrant red hair, making it look as if his head was on fire. Selene liked it though. She liked it very much. She couldn't wait to start her lessons, no matter how boring they were.

**And now a quick message from our beloved characters:**

**Leo: Hi everyone! I'm Leo! We're so glad you're reading this story and we really hope you enjoy it! By now you know I'm Alanna's son but I'm the complete opposite of her. **

**Robyn: Yeah, she's not as much as a pest as you are.**

**Leo: Wahh, Selene, Robyn is being mean.**

**Selene: GET OFF OF ME!**

**Leo: Ahh! Does no one like me?**

**-Silence-**

**Leo: -cry-**

**Selene: Thanks a lot Leo we ran out of time! Ok, yea yea we're going to kick but in the next chapter as we head out onto the training courts - Wait. Why am I telling you this! You should read it yourself! I'm out of here **


	5. A Terrible Taboo

**Facebook kidnapped me, otherwise I would have posted this yesterday. Oh I'm officially a beta reader now! Enjoy chapter 5!**

Selene found herself liking the morning classes very much, however boring they were. They were much more interesting then the sewing, knitting and painting sessions she had been forced to sit through. For pages, Writing and Reading was the first class. Selene had spent a lot of time reading and writing in the convent and could write in a neat, pretty script and almost as quickly as a professional clerk.

"Excellent script," the Mithros priest praised her. "Now when you have to write an important missive to the king from the battlefield I'm sure he'll appreciate your time wasted on calligraphy."

Selene scowled again. "Well I'm sure he'll thank me even more if I scribble it like a commoner."

For her back talk she was given two more poems to copy down in her wonderfully praised script that was undoubtedly unappreciated. At least she could write. Some of the other pages were having difficulty deciphering the simplest of poems . Next was mathematics, something that she was fairly good at, but nothing she excelled in. Afterwards came etiquette class, where she spent an hour and a half learning how to bow and address the different ranks of nobles.

This is so ridiculous, she thought. Nobles spend so much time on dignity and etiquette its no small wonder they never get anything done!

They had a small break that was marked by another bell and they sat in the seat of a window overlooking the Royal Forest. Robyn was fully awake now, having been rapped on the head again by a priest in Writing and Reading. Robyn swore that priest was out to get him but Selene told him to suck it up and stop falling asleep in class. Leo sported red knuckles from where another priest had struck him for knocking over a pot of ink. To them, it seemed like the Mithros priests found no other joy in life then to punish pages. Another bell rang and those pages with the Gift went to their mage class, while the others went to the class taught by the Basilisk.

Selene worried as to where she was to go. She couldn't use her Gift with normal spells as the other Gifted mages could. But neither was she untalented. Her question was answered when she saw Lord Kilkenneth standing in front of the doorway, watching the Gifted pages and squires file in.

"There you are," he said as she approached. "Because of your unusual talents, we've had to hire a special teacher for you."

"I thought I was to receive no special treatment, my Lord."

"Your pertinence is trying my patience. You will receive extra kitchen duties four times a week for three weeks. Follow me and I will show you where you might learn to keep your Gift in check, if not your tongue as well." Lord Kilkenneth turned and walked swiftly through the halls. Selene followed closely, not wanting to get lost, but not wanting to listen to a word Lord Kilkenneth said.

Kitchen duties! She thought. Fantastic, with all this extra bookwork how will I have time for that? I should keep my mouth shut…

They stopped in front of a dark wooden door with faded ruins on the inside of the doorway. Lord Kilkenneth knocked twice and pushed the door open. He motioned for Selene to go in and she squeezed past him.

"When the bell rings you will resume your normal classes." Lord Kilkenneth instructed her. He closed the door rather abruptly, as if he had better things to do then escort pages through the castle. Selene stuck her tongue out at the closed door. A tutting noise from behind her and she spun around.

A tall, slender man stood by one of the windows. His silver hair grew down past his collarbone and was gleaming slightly from the feeble sunlight coming through from cloudy skies while his dark eyes were wide and inquisitive. His slender form was clothed in a dark green sleeveless tunic with silver embroidering. His shirt was a lighter green then his tunic and he wore pale grey breeches. He gave off an air of mischievous confidence, like that of one who obeyed his employers, but one who did things his own way when given the chance.

While his hair was silver, his face was young and handsome. Slight lines at the corners of his mouth showed he laughed often. He had high cheekbones, a straight nose and skin so flawless it was like the skin of a marble statue. Altogether, Selene decided she liked this man.

"So you are to be my new pupil." he exclaimed, swinging his hands together. His clear voice carried easily through the room. "I understand you have quite a special Gift." Selene nodded. "I was rather surprised a fire mage had turned up. There are others who specialize in certain areas of magery but its usually just battle, earth, water or even those with a bit of Wild Magic. Never in my travels have I come across a fire mage."

"Hurray hurray this makes me feel like less then a freak." Selene muttered sarcastically.

The man laughed. "I think I will enjoy teaching you. My name is Evan Tumortis. I am a specialized mage as well although I am a water mage."

Selene had to raise an eyebrow at this. "Really? A water mage? Fire and water are complete opposites. How you going to teach me?"

"I really have no idea," Evan had a thoughtful look on his face and started staring off onto the ceiling . Selene had no idea what to think of this. Hopefully Lord Kilkenneth had made a mistake and Numair was supposed to teach her.

She looked up back at Evan who looked deeply in thought, although Selene had absolutely no idea of what Evan would be thinking about.

"Excuse me?" Her words shook Evan out of his trance. "Am I actually going to learn something today?"

"Of course, of course!" Evan exclaimed. "First let me ask you some questions."

"Ask away."

"Alright good, good. Are your eyes naturally like that? Is that part of your Gift" Evans own pair were staring at her brilliantly orange ones.

"Yeah they are. My mother has blue eyes so I don't think I got them from her or her side of the family."

"What about your father?" Evan inquired.

"What about him?" Selene snapped.

Evan looked abashed. "It was merely a simple question. I was simply wondering -"

"I don't know who my father is." Selene looked down at the tips of shoes. "My mother married young at sixteen and by seventeen she already had a child. She was a notorious flirt in the court and there were always men attempting to get with her." She sighed. "The man she married was older then her by five years and they thought they would always be happy together. But my mother became bored with her husband after only three years together and apparently started flirting again with other men."

Evan listened quietly, knowing if he interrupted her, Selene would not have the heart to go on.

"Eventually it became more then flirting and she soon became pregnant with me. She knows who my father is but yet doesn't know his name." Selene looked gloomily out the window. "I'm the bastard child of Elaine of Renvyle. I don't know my father and I don't think I ever will." Selene crossed her arms and mentally kicked herself. Why had she told this stranger so much?

Evan looked down at his hands. He sighed deeply. "I believe you have a very complicated past."

Selene opened her mouth to say something but Evan waved his hand. "No, you don't have to explain your self any more today. The taboo of a noble bastard child is permanently marked upon you forever and I understand the hardships and harassment you must receive." Selene looked away, out the window again and wished she could rinse off that terrible taboo in the rain.

"However I am not biased and I judge my students on their skill and dedication to their work rather then their lineage or family. You seem to me a hard-working honest girl who just was handed the wrong card of fate."

The ringing of bells startled both of them. Time had flown by so fast. Selene was hesitant as to what she should say to Evan. He was the most understanding adult she had met but yet it felt so awkward being reassured by this stranger.

Selene settled for a "Thank you for your time. I'll see you again tomorrow." and ran out the door. She raced through the hallways and BAM! ran straight into Alden's back. Alden spun around, disgust on his face. It twisted into a sick smile.

"Look who's come back to play." he mockingly. The other four squires from the night before were with him and no other boys were to be seen in this hallway.

Selene knew she was in trouble.

**I know I said they'd be on the training fields in this chapter but I felt the explanation of Selene's parentage fit in very nicely in this chapter and that it should be addressed as soon as possible. Besides, we wouldn't have met Evan and he's an interesting guy. Most likely I'll post chapter 6 up tomorrow cause this was very short. (no its not short its 4 pages lol) Also I wrote a oneshot with Cleon and Kel if you want to check it out. I'd like to say its my best short story I've done. My friend said it was so touching it made her cry… You decide. Anyway…**

**Anonymous reviewers are welcome!**


	6. Hidden Dragon

**Sorry for not updating sooner. My teachers think its ok to give us 3 hours of homework a night. Plus I have after school band practice and clubs to attend. Also, some people are wondering where the heck the Song of the Lioness characters are. Well they're coming. If I'm going to include them then it's going to be in a way that is relevant to the story and I'm not going to jam them into some random part of the story. Know that I have this planned out and SL characters are a major part of it. Enough said. Violence and language below. Enjoy**

-Selene knew she was in trouble. -

Alden grabbed her by the upper arms and stuck his nose in Selene's impassive face.

"So what are you going to do now, you little bitch," his breathe was hot and smelly. "Whose daddy are you going to hide behind now?"

A flurry of thoughts stormed through Selene's mind. She was still reeling from her confusion of having an unexpected confession to Evan . Now Alden had her cornered with all his minions; there was no easy way out. This made her decision so much easier. With a berserk battle cry, Selene brought up her knee between Alden's legs and shoved him hard in his stomach. Alden fell back, doubling over and holding his crotch. His wide-faced friend, Gordon, came forward and tried to throw a punch at Selene. She nimbly step-sided him and attempted her own punch. Gordon anticipated this and fainted to the left and caught her jaw with his fist. Selene stumbled back, stars dancing across her vision.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, she thought. He may not look bright but he went through all his training and he's had practice. Selene gingerly rubbed her throbbing jaw, noting with grim happiness it wasn't broken. Gordon was coming closer, like a predator closing in on his prey.

"What's the matter?" Gordon taunted her. "Too afraid to fight alone?" he asked mockingly. Selene knew Gordon thought she was hesitating to fight, or too dazed from his punch. She also knew she had the element of surprise on her side. With little space between them, Selene rushed him and head butted Gordon much like Leo had done the previous night to Alden. Gordon grunted and landed on his backside.

Selene ignored him and turned to Alden who was by now recovered, his face red in seething anger.

"You really asked for it now," he threatened. "You don't know what you've started."

"No, I don't." she admitted. "But I do know my opponents are stumbling circus freaks who are total cowards and attack people in back hallways so they don't get caught."

Suddenly, Selene felt herself being picked up and was hefted sideways into the wall. It wasn't a hard fall but Selene lay on the floor slightly dazed yet again. She had forgotten about the other three squires. In her shifting vision, Selene saw a large figure stand over her and saw his foot swing back to kick her. Selene shut her eyes, waiting for the impact. It never came. There was, however, a squealing sound, a scratching sound of claws on the floor and a loud scream coming from the squire standing over Selene.

She sat up in time to see a large, coil of scales wrapped around the squire's right leg. Whatever the scaled thing was had sunk it's teeth into the boy's calf.

"Help, help!" he screamed. "Alden, Gordon get it off!" In the confusion, Alden grabbed Selene.

"Get it off of him, stupid bitch!" he yelled. "Stop your witchcraft and -"

Alden was cut off by a punch to his nose by Selene.

"If you haven't guessed already." she said, panting. "I don't take anyone's bullshit orders." Selene caught hold of Alden's tunic and dragged him up to his knees. She brought her fist back again and punched him square in the nose. Successfully breaking it caused Alden to scream in pain as blood flowed freely from his nostrils. Not pausing, Selene kicked him between the legs again and kicked him repeatedly in the stomach. She grabbed his wrist and twisted it back enough to make Alden scream even louder and made the other squires back up in horror. Selene relinquished her hold on the sobbing boy's tunic and turned to the other boys.

One of them still had what looked like a huge snake wrapped around his leg. Whatever it was it wasn't going to let go. Selene ignored that and stepped back Now to deal with the other jackasses. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She heard Gordon try to rush her along with his friends. Opening her orange eyes when they were a few feet away, she held her hand forward and a burst of fire flashed through the air. The squires shrieked with fear. Selene grinned as they turned to ran away. She hadn't even conjured fire. It had just been a extremely hot wave of heat that gave the unfortunate victim the feeling of being burnt. Completely harmless.

A figure at the end of the hallway made the boys stop in their tracks, except Alden who was still on the floor bawling and the boy with the coiled snake on his leg was still hopping about. The figure came closer and Selene saw a young, pretty woman coming towards them. She had a slight figure, dark brown almost black smoky curls and stormy blue eyes. A firm, frowning mouth was set above a stubborn.

"Can anyone tell me the meaning of this?" Diane the Wildmage asked. "This palace is home to others. How dare you disrespect the dwelling of the king! Shame on -" She stopped short as her gaze landed on the blue thing still wrapped around the squire's leg.

"Kitten!" she snapped. "Not you too!" The blue thing uncoiled and Selene got a good look at it. It was a dragon!

"What is going on here?" Diane demanded. "You boys should know better as squires of the Realm."

"It wasn't our fault, with respect miss," said one boy with a rather handsome face and short dusty brown curls. "It was that girl over there. She started everything. She insulted us " Once again Selene felt all eyes land on her. Diane surveyed the scene.

"Is that what happened?" Diane asked, her voice softer then before. Selene didn't know whether to tell or not. If she did she'd get a beating from these boys that would make her attack on Alden seem like a walk in the park. If she didn't she could get thrown out for disruption, disrespect to her elders and for fighting. She was saved from answering when someone else answered behind her.

"Obviously these boys are lying," Evan said in his loud, clear voice. "Why would such a small page like her want to start a fight with five much older and larger squires who have an already standing reputation as trouble makers and fight-starters."

"Well I never said I believed them," Diane hurriedly said. "Wait, I thought you were in Tusaine until the end of fall?"

"Change of plans my dear. Once I learned you and Numair had a child I of course had to come down and meet my fellow classmate's family. Besides, I was brought here to teach this fine, young sprout." Evan walked up behind Selene and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"If I see any of you lay a hand on her I will personally stick this rod," Evan pulled out a three inch rod from midair. "I will stick this rod where the sunlight does not shine, and boy, you better believe it's going to be painful as hell." They gulped and looked taken back. "Also just to make things clear and not to make things complicated, I'm assigning you to three weeks each mucking out horse stables, two months of confinement to the castle, cleaning my classroom when needed, five extra hours of bookwork on the study of immortals, and if you say another word I will tell Lord Kilkenneth and that will not end well." He added the last bit as the dusty-brown-haired boy tried to protest.

"I am a teacher and yes, Mikal of Wellam (_A/N Wellam is real fief mentioned in the Alanna quartet :D)_ I do have that power of punishment. NOW GO!" Evan bellowed. Three boys sprinted off, while Alden was stumbling around trying to get balanced and the other one was hobbling from Kitten's bite.

"You two!" Evan pointed two fingers at them. They recoiled in fear. "Mithros above I'm not going to eat you. I'm taking you to the infirmary." As Evan passed Selene he said in a low voice so she could only hear. "I will talk to you later about this." He sauntered off while practicaly dragging the two boys behind him.

Selene was left with Diane and Kitten in the hallway, was well as a splattering of blood on the floor from Alden's nosebleed. Kitten came up to Selene and rubbed her head in affection on the pixie-like girl. Diane watched wide-eyed.

"Do you have the Gift?" she asked softly.

"Sort of, it's a special kind of Gift." Selene answered.

"What kind?" The Wildmage was curious.

"I'm a fire mage. I can control and conjure fire." Selene felt as if she would be explaining this to many people in the following days. Diane opened her mouth to speak but was cutoff by a loud rush of footsteps coming their way.

"This is where the noise came from!" they heard someone say. Raoul of Goldenlake and George of Pirate's Swoop thundered around the corner and stopped short in confusion.

"What was all the commotion about?" demanded Raoul in a booming voice.

**That was chapter 6! I feel really stupid about posting the other crap chapter I put up the other day so I took it down. If you don't know what I'm talking about don't worry you didn't miss any of the story. I hope I satisfied those who wanted Alanna characters. Another cliffhanger :D I promise chapter 7 is going to be in the training fields. Ok im going to bed for another 19 hour day tomorrow. I seriously run on 4 or 5 hours of sleep everyday for the past 4 weeks. I'm so tired. **


	7. These Strange People

**Leo: Bwahaha! We're back! Yay! So am-OWW! –cry-**

**Robin: Stop wasting time! **

**Selene: Don't kill him we need him in this chapter **

**Robin: Anyway the author feels so bad about not updating especially since this was becoming one her more successful stories. So we made her sit down and write out the next few chapters!**

**Selene: Getting to the point here's Chapter 7! And Leo, stop crying. I'm not going to wipe your nose. **

_"What was all the commotion about?" demanded Raoul in a booming voice._

Selene was shocked into silence, a rare occurrence for her. Not thinking clearly, she turned on her heels and sprinted off in the opposite direction. Raoul and George were shouting behind her, ordering her to stop immediately. She ignored them and turned into a random corridor, aiming to put as much distance between them and her as possible.

_Damn it!_ She thought. _Now I look even guiltier. I should have stayed and explained everything! I wasn't even at fault_. Selene had no idea what was going to happen to her if she got caught. _Maybe if I can just get to the training fields. I don't think they'd look for me there. _

If Selene had been paying more attention to her surroundings, she might have seen the large man step out from the hallway in front of her. She suppressed a shriek as she slammed right into his broad frame.

"Alright then, let's hear some explaining!" Raoul demanded. He had caught hold of her wrists and held them above Selene's head. Her orange eyes were wide with fear and she struggled against his hold then stopped. Not cooperating would make things worse. George and Diane came barreling around the corner.

"Not t' worry, I'm here now!" George panted.

"I think that's more cause to worry," Raoul joked.

"Raoul!" Daine exclaimed. "Don't handle her like she's a prisoner!"

Raoul examined Selene. "Well she has a page's uniform on, she's probably an imposter or spy."

"I'm not a spy!" Selene said angrily. "I'm a new page here!" Raoul's face took on an embarrassed look. "What you have a problem with girl pages?" she retorted.

Raoul opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"For Mithro's sake man, close your unsightly gap." Said George, now recovered from that chase. For a moment, Raoul didn't do anything, but suddenly he swept up Selene into his arms and hugged her tightly. Selene gasped as the knight's muscular arms almost crushed her slender form. Daine and George looked on dumbfounded as the orange-eyed girl struggled to breathe.

"Alright that's enough, Raoul, wouldn't want to kill the poor girl on her first day." Daine cautioned as Raoul was spinning around the hallway with Selene in his arms. Raoul let go of Selene and she fell backwards. She was dizzy, and thought that this castle was full of too many strange and eccentric people.

"Now what was that for?" George asked. "Surely you're not showing favor to any particular pages already are you?"

Raoul looked out one of the windows sheepishly. "No, I'm just glad that, well, I'm just glad we don't have a spy here." He finished lamely. "Oh don't give me that look" he snapped to Diane who was giving him a knowing smile.

Selene looked on this strange scene. _I guess I didn't know exactly what I'd expect here but overall I think the people here really do get stranger and stranger. _A fleeting thought went through her head. _I wonder what the king is like. _

How the three adults had turned their attention to Selene.

"So how did you manage to get into a fight with a group of squires, get blood all over the hallway and make friends with Kitten within the same ten minute time period?" Daine asked.

"And please do explain that heat wave" George added. Selene sighed.

"First off, they started everything. I was at my lesson with Evan, I mean Master Tumortis, and as I left his classroom, I ran into them in the hallway on my way to the dining hall."

"Hang on a minute, who's Evan Tumortis? And why?" Raoul interrupted.

Even though Selene wasn't ashamed of her Gift, it was getting tiresome and uncomfortable to explain it to everyone who didn't know about it already. "He is my teacher in the Gift because I am a fire mage so they thought it'd be best to find a specialty teacher."

"Indeed I am quite the specialty teacher," Evan's lazy, clear voice came from behind them. They turned to watch him twirl on one foot and lightly skip over to them. Raoul raised an eyebrow.

"This poor dear doesn't quite fall into the same category as everyone else when it comes to her Gift. But not to worry we'll take care it won't we?" Evan came over to Selene and hugged her. He yelped in surprise as something bit him on the leg.

"Kitten!" Daine exclaimed as Evan was hopping up and down on his good leg.

**Yea kind of short but I'm going to post a longer chapter tomorrow promise. I'm just telling you that I'm going to keep going with this story :D**


	8. Training Field Terror

**(AN: So I wrote this last night and then went onto FanFiction totally meaning to update this story. First I answered a few reviews, PMs and then logged off without updating, just totally feeling accomplished at writing chapter 8. I realized this as soon right before I fell asleep at like 1 am )**

**So my computer crashed a while back in October and I lost ALL of my work, including plotlines, outlines, and other chapters, you know, basically the whole damn story. I'm being smart now and backing it up on a USB stick :D**

Evan hopped up and down on his good leg, cursing the small blue dragon who had curled affectionately around Selene's feet.

"Damn beast!" he muttered. Kitten looked up at Evan and gave him a reproachful look. Daine was giggling oddly while George and Raoul were trying to hold in their laughter.

"I think Kitten has really taken a liking to you, Selene" Daine came over and scooped up Kitten.

"Sorry Evan I think, you should go back to the infirmary now," George managed to sputter.

"If I'm not mistaken, shouldn't you be at the training grounds right now?" asked Daine, stroking Kitten.

Selene wanted to pound her head against a wall. She had wasted so much time she was defiantly late already. The thought of more chores after her normal day of classes was not a pleasing thought.

"If I run now, I might not get punished too harshly," Selene said hurriedly.

"Wait I'll take you," Raoul had now composed himself. George was still a hopeless laughing mess. "If I come with you I'll see to it you get off lightly." Selene breathed a sigh of relief.

"But what about your class with me?" Evan inquired with a small pout. A silence followed.

"I just came from your class," Selene said slowly. "I ran into those bullies after we were finished."

"OH right," A look of enlightenment appeared on Evan's face while Raoul and George traded a look that clearly showed what they thought of this strange, blonde man. Raoul took Selene by the elbow and walked down the corridor, leaving behind a confused Evan and George saying "Well now, let's take this bloke to the infirmary shall we?" to Daine.

"You're awfully intent on me going to the infirmary aren't you?" Evan's voice carried down the hallway.

Selene hurried along, trying to keep pace with Raoul's large strides. Not for the first time, and probably not the last time, Selene wished she was bigger. At four foot nine inches she was painfully aware of how short she was compared to other boys. They hurried along through bright hallways, sunlight playing along the tiles of the floor and glittering on any golden or shiny surface they passed, which was quite often. Selene's silver wristbands glinted in the beautiful daylight every time they passed a window and the silver hair streaking through Raoul's hair was extremely noticeable. After a while, Selene wondered how much further the training grounds were, and was awed at how big the castle was.

_Too damn big, _she thought. _Thank the gods Sir Raoul is here or I'd be a wandering, lost mess right now. _Selene also wondered how Robyn and Leo were doing in training practice. She grinned a mischievous smile. _Robyn is probably groaning and bossing people around and Leo is off crying in a corner somewhere. _She then dismissed the thought. They were her only friends here and it wouldn't do well to talk badly of them.

At the same time, Raoul looked down to see Selene grinning, and couldn't help himself wondering as to what was so funny at this moment. He let out a small sigh, unnoticed by the tiny black-haired girl and kept up a brisk pace to the training grounds. If she made it through the first week, let alone through the first year, it would be a miracle. Something sparkled in the corner of his eye and Raoul looked down, catching sight of Selene's wristbands. _The mystery deepens, _he thought. Raoul made a mental note to talk to Numair and the king later about Selene. They walked through a small patch of colored light, and Selene looked up to a large window of stained glass. It depicted the Great Mother Goddess holding the Dominion Jewel in front of her and banished foes laying on a bright red battlefield, obviously slain by the Goddess and her terrible power. Selene had a few moments to take in the brilliant sight before they turned the corner and walked through a doorway into the warm, late summer air.

* * *

"You will not stop until I tell you that you may stop, Trebond!" Lord Padraig HaMinch practically screamed into Leo's face. The afternoon sun was beating down on the boys in the training yard and after a while, all the boys were sweating profusely and ready to drop. They faced another four grueling hours before they were dismissed and then had to run to dinner. Leo's bright red cheeks were a horrendous contrast to his brilliant copper colored hair. His bangs repeatedly dropped into his eyes and beads of sweat ran down the strands of hair to his eyes and all over his face. He was so tired already and it was hideously hot. And now HaMinch was screaming is his face. He wished desperately Selene was here with her smart remarks. At least it would provide brief if not comic relief.

HaMinch had first made them run laps, do push-ups, sit-ups and other small physical exercises. He believed, as he had yelled to the first year pages that they had neither the strength nor endurance to practice any of the "knightly" training and wouldn't let them touch, never mind practice, with any of the equipment.

"Yes sir," Leo answered. Right now, they were doing ladder runs. Start out at a white line, run ten yards, run back to the line. Then run twenty yards and run back to the white line and so on until they reached sixty yards. After reaching sixty yards and running back, they ran fifty yards, then forty and so on and so forth. That was only one cycle and Kilkenneth wouldn't let any of them rest until they had done at least six cycles and threatened to make them run more if they faltered.

HaMinch looked down on Leo, rubbed his beard and shouted "First years, thank your red-haired friend here. You'll be doing another two ladder runs after you finished the first six. Don't stop or I'll keep adding them. That is all." He turned and went back to standing against the wooden fence. Leo groaned and finished the fifty yard run of this third cycle. He ran back to the white line and started running for the sixty yard line. He caught up with a blond first year, a boy whose name he didn't know.

"I'm so sorry," Leo apologized shamefully to the boy. He felt that he should apologize to someone.

"No worries mate," the blonde boy grinned. "It was bound to happen and soon other boys will be dropping. That was the whole point of this exercise," he huffed. "Old HaMinch knew someone wound falter somewhere before the sixth ladder. Just have to take it all in stride." Leo was amazed by the boy's easy going nature and took an immediate liking to him.

"Less talking and more running," barked out Lord HaMinch. Leo resolved to ask the blonde boy's name later. Robyn himself was faring better then Leo and was running with another first year page, some boy Timmy or Thomas. Robyn couldn't make out his name as HaMinch had screamed to them earlier about their apparent laziness and noble soft asses unused to hard work. As Robyn turned to finish his third cycle, he saw Selene approaching the training fields, a huge, brown-haired man walking alongside of her. He was suddenly energized and slowed to a stop, along with the other pages. HaMinch took no notice as he stalked angrily over to Selene. Leo came panting up.

"Where was Selene this whole time?" Leo asked, gasping for breather. Robyn shrugged.

"You!" Kilkenneth shouted and pointed a finger at Selene.

"Yes me" Selene retorted.

"Don't get smart with me! You're up to your neck in trouble already!" he breathed deeply, possibly to control himself. "You're forty minutes late to training, on your first day and you're already on probation! Why on earth should I not expel you right here on the spot?" By now the whole training field had gone silent and was staring at Selene, a raging Lord HaMinch and the large and legendary Raoul, but mostly at Selene.

"Because I was so sick of your face already I couldn't stand to endure another afternoon with you," Selene muttered. HaMinch barely understood her, but caught the general meaning. Raoul had to hold him back as the boys looked on, having not heard Selene's remark.

"Let me explain everything to you," Raoul nervously laughed. "It's quite a funny story." He dragged the raging training master off away from the boys. Selene made her way to Robyn and Leo, the latter having his mouth wide open.

"I heard what you said to him," He said in awe. "That was amazing."

Robyn looked at him in astonishment. "How in the name of Mithros did you hear that? I couldn't even make it out."

"I reached out with my Gift and heard it." Leo said.

Robyn threw up his hands in exasperation. "Does everyone have super amazing magical gifts except me?" he turned to Selene in all seriousness. "No, but really, where were you? We were getting worried that you ran into Alden and his cronies."

The two other pages looked at them oddly.

"Do you three know each other?" asked the brown-haired boy who Robyn had talked to.

"No I'm just randomly being stalked by these two," Selene answered sarcastically.

Just then, two of Alden's cronies came running up the training ground. They saw Selene and gave her the evil eye. Selene took two hurried, menacing steps in their direction and they backed off to the other squires, frightened.

"That's two of the boys who attacked me," Selene explained to Robyn. And to Leo, who was hugging her and it didn't seem as if he would let go anytime soon. "I broke Alden's nose and another boy got bit in the leg by Daine's dragon, Kitten." The two other pages were staring at her, as if she had single-handedly defeated a forest troll. Kilkenneth saw the two returning squires trying to escape his attention. Ignoring Raoul, Lord HaMinch came towards them dangerously. The two squires knew they were in trouble with no escape and seemed to submit themselves to HaMinch's rage. As the training master made his way to them, large shadows suddenly appeared on the training field and its occupants from above.

Selene looked up as an unearthly shrieking sound spilt the air, and was repeated over and over again. She covered her ears to try to block out the evil, metallic screeches. Wings of black feathers and rotting flesh flew into her vision. The beating of wings now accompanied the metallic hunting shrieks of the attacking animals.

"Hurrocks!" screamed a frightened boy. The large, black winged horses dove towards the training grounds, intent on its prey below.

**Yay another exciting cliffhanger! Review review review like always :D thanks to everyone that already has and everyone who has added this to their story alert and favorite story. Also I found a good picture of Evan, well what I sort of imagined him to look like. I put up the picture on my blog. There's a link to my blog in my profile so check that out. Keep reading!**


	9. Stars in the Abyss

Screams of terror erupted from around the training fields as the hurrocks dove from the sky. Older squires who had been practicing with spears threw their weapons into the oncoming flock of winged horses. A few lucky boys managed to hit a couple of hurrocks, stunning the animals but not seriously wounding them. Some other boys were in the possession of bows and let loose a volley of arrows. Most of them hit their marks, successfully killing two of the hurrocks. The death of their companions enraged the winged horses further and with giving off their eerie metallic shrieks, they renewed their attack on the humans below. A trio of them lifted a screaming page into the air and tore him apart. Blood and human intestines rained down onto the ground, landing on a few unfortunate boys, who cried out in disgust and sorrow.

Selene gasped at the horror of it all, shuddering as a few warm specks of blood splattered on her face. Mass confusion had taken over the training field and it seemed the number of hurrocks was growing by the moment. A lurid screech drew Selene's attention behind her. A hideous black hurrock was chasing Leo, intent on the red-haired boy. As it was about to swoop down on her friend Selene's instincts took over. She called the element of fire and conjured a shot of flames, throwing it towards the hurrock. It landed square in its chest with a flash of sparks. The hurrock tumbled to the ground and shriveled up with a disgusting shriek of pain. A large wisp of black smoke escaped its body as it let out its last dying cry. It shuddered once then was still.

Leo had tears in his eyes, not knowing how to defend himself and obviously unused to such violence.

Selene grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "You need to calm down, Leo" she said in a steady and firm voice. "We're supposed to be able to face danger without panicking," Another cry of pain erupted from a few yards away, the hurrocks having claimed another victim. "Go get Robyn and anyone else who can't fight and get them inside. Alert the infirmary and the palace officials." Leo sniffled and looked towards a dying man, crawling to them, crying out for help.

"Hey listen to me," Selene drew Leo's attention away from the horrific sight. "You can do this, it's important that you do." Leo nodded. "No go!" Leo scampered off, finding Robyn and running towards the palace.

Selene looked around and tried to gather her bearings. There were too many hurrocks now to try for individual shots. She wasn't powerful enough to send off a huge wave of fire, nor manage a heat wave large enough to be of any use. In the end, she ran towards the dying man, a palace guard, and took his bow and case of arrows, lying discarded next to him. She notched an arrow to the string, muttered a prayer for good luck, and whispered a few words. Immediately the arrow tip burst into flame and Selene let loose the arrow. It hit a hurrock and exploded into flames. The flaming hurrock flayed wildly in the air before spiraling down towards the earth, black smoke evaporating from its corpse as it died. A few people were stunned by her actions but Selene ignored them. Knowing her method would work, she didn't have to hit the hurrock anywhere lethal. Any contact with the arrow would cause the arrowhead to explode and kill whatever it hit. Her next target was a hurrock that was about to swoop down on an unsuspecting Raoul, who was fending off a hurrock with a missing eye. Raoul stood proud, legs in a bracing stand and sword flashing in the sunlight. Selene managed to hit the hurrock a few yards away from Raoul, and it spun off and hit another hurrock, killing them both.

A shout of warning alerted Selene and she turned quickly to see a hurrock bearing down on her. The winged horse was intelligent enough to understand it was her who had launched the fire arrows that had killed its brethren. Already it was too close for Selene to take any action so she simply fell and rolled to the side. A burst of bright purple light shot out from nowhere, sending the unfortunate hurrock flying through the air and tumbling violently into a fence, impaling itself on the splintered wood. Selene lifted her head to see her rescuer. It was Alanna the Lioness!

The lady knight was astride a magnificent golden mare, her legendary copper red hair flowing to her shoulders, and her sword, Lightning, gleamed in the afternoon sun. She was dressed in her golden chain mail and her shield with the rearing lioness was firmly held on her left arm. She nodded to Selene and spun to the right to attack another hurrock coming down on her. Fueled by the sight of the legendary Lioness, Selene renewed her attack with her fire arrows, her spirits lifted to imaginary heights. Selene quickly took out four more hurrocks, with a few stray arrows exploding in midair, or hit random places over the training field. With dismay, Selene reached her last arrow, which hit a hurrock straight in the eye. Selene abandoned her bow and zig-zagged over to the older squires, who had marginal success at fending off the hurrocks with spears.

More colored flashes of light across the yard signaled that mages had arrived: the deep black of the powerful Numair and the sapphire blue of King Jonathan. Numair was as always, dressed in his black robes of a mage and Jon was wielding the Dominion Jewel in one hand, his sword strapped to his hip. Shouts of excitement flooded over the field, the men exultant by the sight of their king.

"Selene!" Raoul yelled to her, a few feet away and was now bleeding from a wound to his left arm, which hung limply from his shoulder. "Get out of here, this is no place for you!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Selene shouted back. "I'm going to fight was well as anyone!" Selene once again ignored Raoul's protests and ran off, trying to find more arrows.

_I have to fight, _she thought. _I have to prove myself, otherwise I'll just be another weakling girl to them. I have to stay until the end of this fight or else face the brand of a coward._

Selene failed to find the arrows she so desperately wanted, so instead, she was decided to rely exclusively on her magic. She conjured another ball of orange fire, and launched it at a group of hurrocks hovering over the field. A few fell and died, with more strange black smoke emitting from their bodies. Selene didn't stop to judge the death toll, but moved on to a hurrock that had landed in front of her. She sent forth a wave of fire, instead of a small objectile. This proved to be more effective and Selene grinned with success. This took more power than Selene had judged and she suddenly felt dizzy.

Her silver wristbands shimmered beautifully in the sunlight, but were hideously holding back her true limit of power. Selene hesitated, not knowing if it would be wise to take them off. She remembered Numair's words:

"_This is for your safety and for other's safety as well," _Numair had said to her when he fashioned them especially from the purest silver. _"You must wear them at all times. Until we know how your Gift really works, this is the best way to ensure you do not over use your powers and they don't consume you"_

Selene threw all caution to the winds and took off her silver bracelets. At first nothing happened. Then suddenly, a huge wave power swept through her body, filling her with seemingly unlimited energy. Her orange eyes gleamed brightly and her mouth formed a mad smile.

Raoul was fighting back-to-back with HaMinch, the latter proving to be a formidable swordsman.

"Watch yourself!" HaMinch shouted. Raoul looked up from the hurrock he had brought down to the ground to see yet another hurrock diving towards him.

"Where the hell are these beats coming from?" Raoul yelled. HaMinch's answer was drowned out by a roar of orange fire sweeping through the air over their heads, consuming the hurrock. It collided with it head on and caused it to flip over and tumble into another hurrock. Both of them exploded by the power of the flames, black hurrock blood bespattering the fighting men. Both men were momentarily stunned as to who was capable of such power. Raoul turned to see Selene surrounded by a protective ring of fire, hurling wave after wave of fire into the oncoming slough of hurrocks.

Fire was not the only element at work. Evan came striding unarmed onto the training field, arms outspread and lips moving to conjure up some long forgotten spell. Spirals of water were twisting themselves around Evan, giving him protection against the winged horses. He then threw his arms towards the two hurrocks coming towards him and the snakes of water shot forward, entwining the hurrocks and squeezing them to death. The hurrocks shrieked in pain, their harsh sound piercing the ears of the field's occupants. Black smoke drifted up from them as they died and while the water spirals exploded into a shower of rain.

A spear was thrown from a figure mounted on a galloping horse, quickly approaching the main action of the fight. It was none other than Lady Kelandry, her dreamy hazel eyes set in concentration. Kel saw a small, black-haired girl in a ring of fire and was confused but then saw that Selene was capable of defending herself and Kel waved in her direction when Selene turned to see which direction spear had come from.

With most of the greatest powerful figures in Tortall on the field attacking the hurrocks with all their might, the hurrocks were completely destroyed. A few stragglers flew off when they saw the majority of their companions had been killed or lay wounded on the field.

King Jonathan stood in the midst of chaos and death that had once been a peaceful training field for future knights. Alanna came galloping up on her horse, mail soaked in black hurrock blood. She swiftly descended from her horse and came to stand next to her friend.

"What the hell?" She said, observing the field. "Where did those things come from and were they sent by anyone?"

"I don't know," answered Jon. "That black smoke rising from their bodies after they died was completely unnatural. Usually it signals some sort of possession or outside force controlling them."

Alanna frowned. "What was the purpose of attacking the boys though?" she asked gloomily. Her son was nowhere to be seen and she feared for the worst.

"It was a message," said Jon. "A message to tell us they can hit us at will, and they don't care who they have to kill to achieve their objective."

Saying it aloud scared Jon; Tortall could not stand to face another war so soon after emerging from one. They had been victorious but now they had neither the manpower nor supplies to face a fresh enemy, especially one with such power.

A small red-haired boy ran out onto the field and started taking tally of the wounded and marking those who could be saved. It was painful to leave behind those that had no chance. Alanna immediately recognized him and let go of the sigh that she was unaware she had been holding.

"Leo!" she shouted. Leo looked up to see his smiling mother hurrying towards him.

"Mother!" he shouted back and ran into her arms.

Selene observed the joyful reunion as she extinguished the ring of fire that had been protecting her. She was overwhelmingly saddened by the fact that she had no one on the field that cared so much about her. Leo noticed her and called out.

"Selene, you're alive!" Alanna looked over confused as to whom Leo was talking to. Selene wearily waved and took a step forwards when sudden dizziness overtook her and she fell forward. It felt so good to lie down, she thought, even though the ground was soaked with blood. Strong hands gripped her and lifted her up. Someone was carrying her and talking to her, although Selene was at a loss as to the meaning of the words.

Evan had lifted her up, not at all they surprised by how little she weighed. Alanna came forward and observed Selene who was still conscious, but barely.

"Why was a little girl out on the field?" Alanna demanded of a speechless Evan. "How could you let this happen?"

"Mother she saved me," Leo interrupted. "It's not his fault."

Raoul came over to the small congregation and happily noted the arrival of his red-headed female friend.

"She's stubborn she is." Raoul presented some explanation. "I attempted to tell her to get out of the fight but she ran off. She killed more hurrocks with her Gift then HaMinch and I managed together." He added.

Selene groggily opened her eyes and was met with a pair of brilliant purple eyes staring into her own.

"Leo?" she muttered. "I'm glad you're safe." Selene then fell into a sweet blissful sleep, exhaustion settling in.

* * *

Rows of pallets lined a hallway of the palace. The infirmary was overflown by the seriously wounded, many of whom would not survive the night and more wounded were approaching. Robyn and Leo were able to inform the healers of the crisis ensuing outside and the healers immediately sprang into action. Yards upon yards of bandages were prepared, herbal ointments and healing creams were set out to be close at hand. Knives and saws were sharpened and heated, arranged for amputation. The screaming of those wretched few who required amputation soon overpowered the moans and cries of pain from the additional wounded.

Alanna was busy healing those with broken bones and smaller wounds while Numair was outside observing the bodies of the dead hurrocks, trying to determine who had been controlling the hurrocks after Jon had explained his hunch. Robyn and Leo found the other two first year pages, mostly unscathed with minor cuts and bruises, more shocked then anything. They learned that the blond page was named Liam and the brunette was named Dorian.

Liam had insisted on staying to fight, but had gotten cut by a hurrock's talon in his heroic attempt. His left arm was now bandaged up. Robyn and Leo then said good-bye and searched for Selene. With alarm, they realized she was not to be seen. A passing healer told them Selene was lying asleep on a bed in a side room away from the main action of the infirmary. It was quiet when Robyn and Leo entered, Alanna, Kel and Evan were in the room, softly talking among themselves. They fell into silence when the two boys entered, and Alanna smiled at her son.

"I'm so proud of you," she smothered him with a hug. Leo affectionately hugged his mother back, seeing as he had missed her the six long months she had been absent. Robyn hung back, unsure of what to do. Selene was pale, making her look more elf-like than usual. Her wrists were bare of the silver wristbands, Robyn had noticed. Perhaps she as the one who had conjured the huge fire that Robyn had seen from the infirmary windows. Evan held a finger to his lips and nodded towards the door. The room's occupants understood and they left Selene sleeping in her bed.

Kel stretched her arms behind her head and said good-bye to Alanna and Leo, who went to help the healers. She then turned to Evan.

"I don't believe I've met you before. Please to meet you, I am Kelandry of Mildenhall." She shook hands with Evan.

"Your reputation exceeds you madam," Evan teased slightly. "It is such a shame to meet under these horrific circumstances otherwise I would ask you to join me for a drink." He held up a hand when Kel made some sort of protest. "If I have heard correctly, the King's Riders are outside assisting with the aftermath clean-up. I think we may be more useful there, if you care to come with me?" Kel sighed and went along with this strange man, glad to be of some help.

The screams of the wounded had died down by now, but healers were still rushing up and down the length of the infirmary. Thayet had joined the fray, coming back from a patrol with the Queen's Riders. She walked in, tall and held her head high, confident and fierce, as befitted the queen of Tortall. Black hair framed her high cheekbones and beautiful face, her illustrious hazel eyes usually sparkled in a playful, mischievous way, but now her eyes betrayed the fear and over whelming concern in her heart. Thayet kissed her husband, who had rushed in after learning of his wife's arrival.

"What happened here?" She asked, noting the wounded men and bloody bandages.

"We believe someone purposely controlled the hurrocks to attack us," said Jon. "More importantly, mostly unarmed pages."

Thayet gasped. "Tell me they're still alive, tell me my son is alive."

"Everything is fine," Jon comforted his wife. "Robyn and Leo rushed in to inform the infirmary and the palace guards of what was happening and we were able to quickly to attend to the crisis. I'm still waiting for the complete causality list but so far twelve men have died, and fifty plus some are wounded. Numbers are still rising."

Robyn saw his mother and ran forward, wrapping his arms around her. Thayet joyfully spun her son around, some happiness that lifted her spirits in the dark atmosphere of the infirmary.

Evan had joined Numair and Daine, who come down to help solve the mystery of the hurrocks. Evan was still impeccably dressed in his fine clothes, while Numair was splattered with blood, head to toe. There was no distinction between hurrock and human blood, and Numair shuddered at the thought of the lifeblood staining his clothes, like Death itself seeping into his skin. Daine looked down sadly to the hurrock lying next to her.

"They're not evil animals," she muttered quietly. "They only attack when they're hungry or provoked." She looked up at Numair. "I think Jonathan was right. Someone was possessing these horses. Someone very powerful who wanted to weaken us."

Numair nodded; had Daine confirmed his fears. "What do you think Evan?"

Evan was slowly stroking the head of a hurrock, looking distantly at the blood pooling around its body. "I think this was specialty magic, a necromancer or dark mage. The black smoke was more evidence to my assertion." Numair groaned. They had just gotten rid of one and now another mage was trying to take over Tortall.

A large bonfire had been built a ways off to burn the numerous bodies of the dead hurrocks. Evan could see Dom and Kel talking, outlined by flames of the fire, and he smiled to himself.

"Alright let's head in. I'm sure Jon would like to call an emergency council."

* * *

Night had spread its dark wings over the kingdom of Tortall. A moonless sky illuminated the sparkling and twinkling stars that blotted the deep black heavens, hiding secrets of mortals below that only the gods could decipher. A soft hush had fallen over the castle, plunging it in shadows while bright candlelight kept the darkness at bay. Inhabitants were weary of the creeping gloom that had swept through the castle like a tidal wave. They had fallen somnolently asleep, sleep itself a swathing blanket for those exhausted by the day's ordeal.

Evan sat by Selene's bed in the hospital wing; his marble-like skin and silvery blonde hair were highlighted by the single flickering candle on the nightstand. Selene was in a deep sleep, thoroughly exhausted by her Gift. Evan had retrieved her silver bracelets which sat on the nightstand as well. It was foolish of her to remove them, as Selene did not know the limit of her power and with such a violent display as earlier, she might very well sink into a coma of death. The girl was still a mystery, her father as well, which nagged at Evan more than it should. No trace of a powerful Gift ran in the Renvyle line, so her powers came from her father's side, a man unknown to anyone except Selene's mother.

Evan sighed deeply and took a long draught from the already half empty wine bottle he had brought with him. Fatigue was setting in, like water seeping into the ground. The wine sang him a sweet lullaby as he closed his eyes, so desperate for rest from this horrible nightmare of a day.

* * *

**Originally planned as two separate chapters, they were too short to stand alone and ruined the mood so here is my masterpiece of a chapter, all six pages :D**

**Honorable reviewer mention: Aria657, I love you for sticking with my story through long months of not updating; Yreva13, your smiley faces make me happy; QuitlookingatmelikeI'mcrazy, here she meets Kel and Alanna, if only briefly; Oracle, yea it's supposed to be Daine, my bad; FlamingPancake, thank you, your name made me laugh and to all who read, thank you, if it wasn't for you I'd probably never have gotten this far. Review like always and what other SL characters should appear? **


	10. Dandelions

**I do apologize for the mistakes in names, including Daine, Keladry's fief name and the training master's name. For the life of me I could not remember who replaced Wyldon. As compensation, I wrote this chapter which I hope conveys the feelings I originally planned it to convey: security, love and being accepted. And please do excuse me for my mistakes, I'm only human. A huge thank you goes to KarmaHope, Aria657 and oracle for pointing them out. **

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**Seven years earlier…**

The black-haired girl perched lightly on the window seat in a small alcove, admiring the beauty of the landscape as the sun shone its brilliant rays among the land. The girl's wrists had been itching all day, as she still was not used to the silver bands encircling her wrists, never mind the fact that she had been wearing them day and night for a week already. The sunlight falling into the alcove lighted her orange eyes she hugged her stuffed animal horse close to her body. Miffy, as she called him, was her closest and only friend.

"Selene? Where are you dear?" Selene turned to the sound of the voice, knowing immediately it was her nursemaid as her mother would never address her as "dear".

"Coming!" Selene slipped off the seat and ran towards her nursemaid, still clutching Miffy in one arm.

Her nursemaid, Ella, chided her firmly. "You know you mustn't run, Missus; tis not proper for a lady to do so." Ella was kind but very strict.

"I don't want to be a lady," Selene answered in her small voice. "It is so boring to sit all day. It is no fun!"

The corners of Ella's eyes crinkled as she smiled slightly and softly swatted Selene. "Tis no matter if tis fun or not, rather what is proper as a lady in your upbringing."

"Quite right you are nurse." Selene's mother stood in the doorway to her daughter's room, dressed as beautifully and elegantly as a lady of her station. Her blonde hair had been swept up into a loose bun on the back of her head, a net of pearls covering her bun while small wavy curls outlined her heart-shaped face. Light blue eyes radiated light under think lashes and her full, curvy figure was shown off in a sapphire blue dress, trimmed with lace and more pearls. Perfection was not an option; it more of a necessity for her.

"Change her dress, I can't show her out in front of company in that frumpy outfit." Elaine of Renvyle ordered the nursemaid, not caring to show affection to her own child.

"Mama, Ella changed my dress twice today already," Selene said wide-eyed. She could never achieve the high standards of her mother, always falling below that bar that hung above her head like a sword.

With a swift motion of her hand, Elaine slapped the small girl across the face. Selene's eyes filled with tears as her maid hung back, helpless and unable to support the child against her mother's rage.

"All I do for you, everything that I give you is obviously not enough," Elaine cried out, furious at this child for whom she blamed everything. "And why do you carry this animal around?" Grabbing Miffy, she threw it across the room. "It is time to grow up and stop acting so foolishly. I shall expect you in one hour's time." Elaine turned on one heel, and with a swish of her silken skirts, left the room.

Selene was now crying hard, letting her tears fall onto the brightly colored carpet of her room. Her nurse had retrieved Miffy and placed it in Selene's arms. She affectionately embraced the girl as if she was her own daughter, for Ella's children had died when they were young. Selene pushed Ella away and hugged Miffy tighter. The candles burst into flame and in the fireplace, a fire leapt to life as Selene lost her temper and hatred filled her.

"I hate her!" she screamed. "I hate her so much! She doesn't love me! No one loves me! I hate everything!" She let out a loud shriek and sobbed uncontrollably, as the dark root of hatred and betrayal entwined itself into her innocent heart.

* * *

**Seven years later…**

Selene awoke in a soft white bed, her heart beating wildly as her eyes were wet from tears of her past. It had been a while since Selene thought of that day. Why it stood out so much among many worse memories was a complete mystery to the girl. The hatred had grown darker and darker each passing day since then; Selene was unsure if she could untangle the darkness that had taken hold. She wished desperately she could lay here in her bed for eternity, as it was so very comforting and warm.

"Good morning my dear," A cheerful voice made Selene open her tear-stained eyes. Evan was sitting in an armchair next to her bed, eating a bright red apple. "Finally you return to the land of the living." Her teacher smiled and took another bite.

Selene gasped. "I wasn't, I mean, was I dead?" To her, the idea was haunting.

Evan laughed. "No, no, no I didn't mean that literally my little duckling!" Selene scowled at the nickname but Evan did not notice. "You see, you foolishly over exhausted yourself in the fight, after removing those bracelets of yours. You then passed out soon after and have been asleep for two days." Evan cheerfully explained all this.

The orange-eyed girl fell back onto her pillows. Two days! That seemed like such a long time…..

"Oh no!" She exclaimed. "What happened to Leo and Robyn? Were they hurt?" Selene clutched the blankets closely to her body; she couldn't bear to stand the thought of her new friends hurt or dead, especially Leo, who was such a sweet boy.

Evan waved a hand as if to sweep away her fears. "They're fine. They came storming in the infirmary. From what they were crazily shouting about you might have thought the whole army of the gods had invaded the city." He finished off his apple and offered Selene a pear. After being asleep for two days, she was ravished with hunger. She devoured her pear and was tearing threw a loaf of bread when a soft knock sounded at the door and Alanna the Lioness walked in.

"Evan how is she?" Alanna spotted Selene sitting up in bed, bread still in her mouth. "I see you've finally awakened!" Selene suddenly felt very shy and swallowed the large piece of bread she had bitten off.

"Well I'm off!" Evan stood up and clapped his hands together. Selene looked startled as she had no idea what to say to Alanna alone. "I have something to discuss with Numair so I will leave you two fine ladies alone." Evan bowed a low, theatrical bow and left the room with a flourish of his hand.

"That man really knows how to lay on the theatrics," Alanna muttered. Selene could not believe the Lioness was standing in same room as her, let alone the fact that Alanna had specifically come to see her! Alanna turned to face her, a smile aglow on her face. Her shoulder length, legendary copper red hair was still vivid and thick, but streaks of grey were showing at her temples. Lines at the corners of her mouth and eyes betrayed her age, although one would expect her to be younger from as she still fervently defended the realm as if she were a younger knight. Selene guessed Alanna to be now in her late forties, although she would ask Evan to be sure.

"Lord HaMinch ordered myself and Lady Kelandry to stay away from you, in case we would give you any _special _help." Alanna rolled her eyes as she said "special" and showed what she thought of HaMinch's rule. "For the time being however, I'm sure it would be alright as he is busy elsewhere. I thought this would be useful information, for I wouldn't want you to think that Kel's and mine silence was due to any fault on your part." Selene nodded and was stunned to think of HaMinch's rule. She also liked Alanna's voice; it had a motherly quality, something Selene had barely known as a child.

"Thank you very much for explaining this to me," Selene said. "Although I doubt I would have blamed you and would have found more fault in myself."

Alanna smiled sadly and sat on the bed. "I don't think there is anything wrong with you," She stroked Selene's silky black hair softly. "I didn't let anyone stop me when I tried out for my shield, although there were many times when I wanted to give up. But I always thought of the rewards I would earn, of the challenges I would be able to conquer and that always gave me hope. I believe you can overcome the obstacles standing in your way now, and I implore you not to give up." Selene's heart fluttered heavily, and she feared she would cry if she spoke, as no one had ever given her so much hope for the future, so many encouraging words to fight the doubt she had for herself.

"I have one small favor to ask of you," Alanna said.

Selene nodded hurriedly, as it was not every day one could help the Lioness.

"I notice Leo has grown very attached to you in such a short period and it is rare for people to show much kindness to him," Alanna looked down sadly at her scarred, weather beaten hands. "However he cares for you very much and I would ask of you to watch over him, to protect him if that is not too much for you."

Selene's heart broke slightly, for Leo struck her as someone who most people liked to have around. A lively, sweet, honest person like him was so rarely found amidst the general cheating and lying population of humanity.

"Of course I will. I promise I will take care of Leo." Selene vowed to the Lady Knight as she clasped her hands around Alanna's. "Leo has been so kind to me and I adore him. He has also shown me more kindness then most have."

Alanna looked much happier than before and Selene's heart swelled with unknown emotions, threatening to form tears in her eyes.

"Then I thank you, and I know you will hold fast to your promise." A solemn silence fell over the room, emotions swirling through both of them. A small sound came from the door and Leo and Robyn entered, thankfully missing what had transpired between Alanna and Selene.

"Mithros above," Robyn gasped. "Selene is awake!" Leo immediately bounded over to Selene and threw his arms around her. Selene replayed what Alanna had just told her and gladly embraced her red-haired friend.

"I'm so glad to see that you're alright," She said into Leo's hair.

"And I'm glad you didn't get killed." Leo's face was buried in her shoulder.

"Hey what about me?" Robyn exclaimed. Alanna laughed heartily and for the first time in years, Selene truly felt happy.

(Line)

For the rest of the week, lessons and classes were postponed and the time instead was used to mourn the dead, for out of the twenty-two deaths on that unfaithful day, a third year page and two squires had passed into the hands of the Dark Gods. Selene had not known anyone who had passed away, but the overwhelming feeling of grief that surrounded the castle had affected her as well. The day after Alanna stopped by to talk to her, Selene was sitting in her room, saddened by the fact that Alanna had left that morning, apparently riding out with Thayet and the Queen's Riders who were following up on lead; it turned out to be false, as they figured out several days into the wild goose chase. Numair had come in with Daine and Kitten, as Daine informed her that Kitten missed Selene on account her fire magic.

"She keeps clawing at the door in my rooms when I don't let her out," Daine said with a laugh as Kitten pounced on Selene. She kissed the top of Selene's head and her husband's cheek as she left to go take care of her child.

"I would very much like to know what you were thinking when you took off your bracelets," Numair demanded. "You could have lost control and destroyed yourself, not to mention countless lives." Selene was absently stroking Kitten's scales and looked down sheepishly.

"I was thinking about all the lives I could save," she whispered. Numair was surprised; he had not expected this. "I was thinking of Leo and Robyn, who I knew I had to protect. I thought of the duty I have to Tortall, that no matter what station I'm in, I must protect the kingdom." Her voice was growing louder and was filling with more confidence with each word. "I was thinking that I do not want to be branded a weakling; that I do not want to be branded a coward!" She yelled the last bit, upsetting Kitten. The candles flared briefly, evident of her overpowering anger.

Numair sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. Even with her restraints Selene's power was hard to control and he feared the outcome of the day before if the hurrocks had but continued to fight a few minutes longer. There could have been a bloody crater in place of the training fields for all he knew.

"I can only guess as to how you feel in your position," he began cautiously. "But I still have not found anything relating to fire mages in all of the texts I've written. It seems they are a rare occurrence."

"I am too tired to continue," Selene grumbled and pulled the covers over her head. Kitten struggled and soon joined Selene in the comfy warmness of her blanket. Numair sighed, exasperated and resolved to have Evan talk to Selene in the near future.

Selene was allowed to leave the infirmary after that, and she looked on silently as she had to pass the wounded in the infirmary ward. Kitten became very attached to her and the castle's inhabitants soon became used to the sight of the blue dragon following Selene around. True to her word, Selene watched over Leo and spent more and more time with him. In the week following the hurrock attack, they became such friends as if they had known each other their whole lives. For this, Selene rejoiced over the fact that Leo accepted her, not fearing or hating her nor wanting more then she could give. On a certain sunny day after that week, Leo shyly presented her a handful of dandelions as they were pulling weeds from the kitchen gardens. Selene did not know how to react to this. Wordlessly, she took them.

"Dandelions are always so very bright," Leo muttered, nervously rubbing the back of his neck with his grimy dirty hands. "Most people dislike them because they always grow everywhere. But I like them because of that; they grow where most people don't expect them too. It's like making a friend; you don't know where it will grow, but are happy it did as it always makes life so much brighter."

Selene was suddenly shy of Leo, not knowing this boy for a moment, the one who had spread so much life and hope into her life, now uttering these bright words of consolation. Selene hugged Leo tight and whispered in his ear "Thank you for being my dandelion."

* * *

**I'm tearing up; I've reread this so many times to find any mistakes and I hope you have many dandelions in your life as I lost one of mine. Please review so the next chapter will be more exciting (and accurate!)**


	11. Infinite Skies of Darkness

**Yes thank you to all of you who are my dandelions (it's ok, we don't have to hug if you don't want to) and read this story ^^ Honorable reviewer mention: KarmaHope – how lovely of you to read this, I enjoy any new readers; Aria657, Danielle of Ebony Creek, Alice-the-Irish-dancer, Oracle, smiastar (Neal is in this chapter, if only briefly) **

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* * *

**A sudden breeze rustled the leaves over Selene's head, sending a multi-colored shower over the orange-eyed girl and her new friend Liam. One month had passed since she had arrived to the Capital, one month since the hurrock attack. The time had simply passed before her, lessons and training had become an endless blur. Only once a week on Sundays did she have a day exempt from lessons and training, but even then she was busy making up work or carrying out her punishments that she had gathered over the week. It seemed that Selene could never catch up on the tremendous amount of work she was assigned, plus the extra bookwork her teachers saw fit to add to her already over-burdened schedule. Her classes with Evan were interesting to say the least. She wasn't sure if she was making progress, since Evan put her through a series of mediation periods sometimes during class, the objective being able to control her Gift. Even with this, her Gift often flared up as she lost her temper. People began connecting the sudden blazing of fire in the room to Selene's emotions.

In her other exercises, Selene soon realized that years of training as a lady had not prepared her for this strenuous lifestyle. After her first normal week, Selene had a fine collection of bruises and cuts over her small body and she woke up every day exhausted and sore. After a month though, and many extra hours put in where ever she could manage, Selene's endurance had surpassed that of the other boy's and was able to go on further and faster than they could. In strength, she was horribly lacking. She was a year older then the boys in her year, but she was a great deal smaller and sadly much weaker. Selene tried to make up for this by eating her vegetables and everything on her plate at meals, but she gained little weight. Still, there was a significant improvement from a month ago. Selene turned out to be a natural in archery; years of careful sewing and painting had trained her eyes to precision and accuracy. It was in archery where she could beat out boys older than her. Her friendship with Leo and Robyn had furthered, leaving Selene wondering what traits she had that previously others in her life had found intolerable. Still, she did not complain, and she was as hot-tempered as ever. The two other first years pages, Liam and Dorian, had been awed when they met her, and even more awed when they learned that it was she who had conjured and commanded the orange fire they had seen blazing over the training field. They had gotten over their initial hesitation of a girl page and found a new friend, even if she was at times, un-agreeable and snappy.

Alden had thought twice about picking on Selene after she had broken his nose. He too had been present to watch Selene's fight against the hurrocks and was mortally afraid of magic. He now kept his distance from Selene, although he gave her an ugly glare every now and then to remind her that he hadn't forgotten about her.

"Look at this Selene!" Liam held up a huge oak leaf, now red, as the seasons had shifted into autumn.

"That's pretty neat," Selene glanced over. It was indeed, a very large leaf. Liam was good-natured and very funny, much like Leo, only Liam had more confidence in himself and was a natural leader rather than follower. He was straight-forward and easily likeable. Selene found him easy to be around since he would talk and Selene would listen.

"I bet I could use this as a hat!" Liam exclaimed and put the leaf on his head, casting a rosy light into his face as the sunlight filtered through the red leaf.

Selene grinned. "No; definitely not your style." They had been ordered that Sunday to scrub out one of the fountains in the Royal Gardens before winter set in, so they could cover the fountain and use it in the spring when a Tusaine delegation was scheduled to arrive. Why they didn't wait for spring had mystified Selene and Liam but they grudgingly set out on a warm autumn day. They quickly discovered the fountain was covered in a thick layer of green grim.

"Egh!" Liam took one look at the mess and was disgusted immediately. "Who would want to clean this mess?" He picked up a thin branch and poked the grim, half expecting it to come alive.

"We're cheap labor," Selene answered. "They hand out punishments and we can't complain. It's in the damn Code of Chivalry." Liam nodded, still prodding the green goo, seemingly fascinated by it.

* * *

**Three weeks earlier….**

Selene smoothed the front of her clean page's uniform and straightened her belt. She had been called that morning to Lord Haminch's study. As soon as she received her summons, she felt a tiny flame of anger rise in her. What had she done this time? Surely nothing to receive any sort of punishment. Of course she had put frogs in Haminch's bed but Liam and Robyn had been culprits as well. Still, she knew it was best not to keep him waiting and waved good-bye to her friends and followed the servant to the training master's study. The servant asked her to wait outside as he went in to announce her. Kitten suddenly appeared from behind a suit of armor and affectionately rubbed her head against the orange-eyed girl's leg. Selene was glad of her company and petted the dragon's head. Selene was allowed in, and was surprised at the small congregation that had gathered in the study as it was not just Lord Haminch that had wanted to see her.

"Good morning Selene," King Jonathan of Conté greeted her. He sat behind the training master's desk, hands folded neatly in front of him. His wife Thayet sat next to him.

Selene bowed very low. She had not even considered the possibility of this meeting. "Good morning, your Majesties. I am honored you would see me." Kitten sat next to Selene, her tail flicking like a cat's.

Thayet lazily waved her hand. "Nothing to worry of, actually more people would very much like to see you." Selene straightened up to see Alanna and George standing next to the king, Numair and Daine seated off to the side with Evan, Lord Haminch and Raoul sitting off to Thayet's side. Raoul was lounging in his chair while Haminch was scowling. Dom, Kel and surprisingly, Neal of Queenscove were also there, although they were off to the side.

"I, I'm much honored to be here," Selene said. Now as she stuttered she felt as if she was on trial as a criminal; other members of the king's staff were seated around the room, some ordered to keep notes on this conversation.

"Well, we decided it would be for the best if everyone was here, as many of us are curious about you," Jon continued. "Your fight with the hurrocks was an impressive display of power, bravery and leadership, exactly the traits befitting any knight." Evan applauded loudly, causing everyone to stare at him.

"What?" Evan's applause died out. "She certainly deserves a hand. For one so young she did show more bravery then some older persons on the field." An awkward silence followed, no one knowing quite what to say.

Jon coughed slightly and went on. "Anyway, we commemorate you for your bravery and for saving countless lives, including my son and Alanna's son. You have our undying gratitude."

Selene once again bowed low. "Your Majesty is too kind."

"This also brings us to the subject of your Gift," Numair interjected. "It is a great thing to wield so much power, as it can bring much good when used for the right reasons. However," Numair sighed, hoping to the gods this would not anger Selene. "Even with your Gift limiters, you have an immeasurable strength, one that cannot be understood and your specialty in fire magery is unprecedented. Removing them last week was, for lack of a better word, foolish." The candle flames in their ornate brackets flashed briefly, Selene's fingers twitching slightly. "Do you see what I mean? If your Gift is one that is connected to emotion, it would require you to have extreme self-control. Taking off the bracelets could have quite frankly resulted in your death, and others."

"But it didn't!" Selene could not help being furious with this man, even though what he said was to help her. "You keep speaking of something that could potentially have happened, but it didn't! I don't remove them for every little spell I perform. I've never removed them since you gave them to me. Had I not taken them off, I would be dead, and so would Leo and Robyn!" Selene realized what she said, and who was in front of her. "I heartily apologize, that was not intended."

A shocked silence had settled over the room. "I do agree with what you have to say," it was Alanna who came to Selene's rescue. "Having the power to save someone and ignoring that power would incur the gods' wrath." Numair opened his mouth to argue and Alanna shook her head. "It wasn't the brightest idea to take them off either, but it did save lives and the mass death was avoided. But I'm sure Selene has learned now that it is not wise to take them off. Don't you?" Selene nodded hurriedly. "There Numair, are you satisfied?" Alanna said, exasperated.

Evan sighed dramatically and stood up. "I believe Numair is never satisfied. I believe my pupil made the right choice. Why are we acting as an execution council? The outcome of Selene's heroic stand has benefitted everyone, and highlights what Selene needs to work on to master her Gift and how to control herself. If eventually she proves she can maintain control through tedious study and years of practice, then perhaps there will come a day when she can demonstrate enough restraint to remove them and wield the power allowed to her by the gods. Would anyone one of you dare to argue the gods' wisdom in bestowing this Gift?"

"Thank you for your input Mr. Tumortis," Jon said. Daine pulled on Evan's sleeve for him to sit down as another shocked silence ran about.

"Yes I am satisfied but I wish to talk to you later Evan." Numair rubbed his face in his hands and Alanna snorted. Jon gave his Champion a chiding look and turned to Selene. "We appreciate your time and opinion and we only wish to do the best for your future. Now I would not want to keep you from your lessons any longer then need be. Thank you." Selene bowed and left the room more quickly than she should have in the presence of royalty. Kitten gave Daine a quick look and followed Selene hot on her heels out the door. Only after the door had been shut did the room's temperature fall back to normal and the flames of the candles extinguish.

"If any of you have something else you must attend to, you are free to leave." Jon announced. Dom, Kel, Neal, and all of the king's staff expressed their regret of not staying longer and left the room.

"That girl is a danger to herself," Lord Haminch growled.

"Peace, Padraig, things will work out," Jon shuffled through the papers on his desk. "There is something bothering you, isn't there Alanna?"

Alanna had been tense for the entire length of the conversation. "Yes indeed. Her eyes and her magic; what other sorcerer had the same colored Gift?" she whispered.

Jon froze, as all the others in the room. "Surely you're not suggesting she is related to Roger in anyway?"

"That's preposterous!" Evan exclaimed. "Even you must know that Selene has no idea who her father is. I might add that while Selene may have a horrible temper and a pessimistic outlook I sense no trace of evil in her; only a persona of one who has suffered through much in her life." Jon mulled these thoughts over as Evan's words sunk in.

"Evil isn't a trait that can be passed down by birth," George said, his arm wrapped around Alanna's shoulder. "It usually depends on her upbringing."

"Evan and George have made a good point," This came from Daine. "Kitten, I'm sure, would not be so attracted to her had she actually had the air of evil in her. Kitten has a knack for seeking out those who really are strong-hearted and stray from doing harm to others."

"You trust an animal?" Haminch questioned.

"I trust an immortal with an unbiased and unwavering sense of judgment!" Daine snapped. "Which is more than I can say for you!"

"See here now," Jon interrupted Haminch as he was about to rant on. "Let's not argue among ourselves. Selene is still young and is receiving training from Evan and is surrounded by good people. I'm sure those traits can be passed on as she stays here. If there is any sign," he held up a hand as Haminch started. "If there is any sign or doubt in her disposition than it shall be handled accordingly. Is that understood?" The king's tone made it very clear that that he would not put up with opposition.

Alanna stared out of the study window, the king's words doing nothing to soothe her wildly beating heart as her purple eyes filled with worry.

* * *

**Three weeks later…**

Selene, Robyn, Leo, Liam and Dorian were all sitting in the library that evening after Liam and Selene had cleaned out the fountain. Dorian and Leo were playing cards on the carpet in front of the fireplace as they lately had been getting along fabulously. Dorian was quieter than Leo, although not quite as cuddly. He and Selene had formed a tolerable friendship that had come as a result of Leo's growing bond with the boy, rather than any advance Selene or Dorian had made. Still, Dorian was nice enough and was the one they turned to when they needed help with math. Robyn and Selene, along with Liam, had emerged as the main trouble makers of the group, completely informally of course. It was usually Robyn that masterminded the prank and Selene usually started the fight, but it was only because some older boys had been picking on her and her temper took control of her. Liam always came to aid in the fight or assist in the prank. Robyn and Liam's pranks involved the people they had fought with and Selene took pleasure in knowing she was getting back at one of the boys who had bullied her. They had been caught fighting numerous times and restricted to the castle until the end of November. In the case of planting the frogs in Haminch's bed, well they had managed to get away with that, but it had been a close call. The maid had entered the room to tidy it up and the trio just managed to stuff themselves in Haminch's closet, where Selene planted a special frog in the training master's loincloths. Needless to say, Haminch had suspected them but could not produce any evidence to convict them.

On that night in the library, they had all miraculously finished a good majority of their schoolwork and decided to relax, knowing that this would be one of their last opportunities to do so as the month of October progressed. Selene was reading a new book, reclining in an armchair off to the side of the fireplace. Robyn was busily adding a few last touches to his essay for etiquette class. Liam was playing catch with a second year page with whom he had gotten on friendly terms with. It seemed as if Liam was able to get onto friendly terms with everyone.

"Hey, you," Selene looked up from her book to see a fourth year page standing in front of her. It was the page who had recognized Robyn in the hallway that one morning as they had made their way to breakfast.

"Hay is for horses," Selene retorted.

"Very smart," he said.

"Indeed I am, now if you don't have anything to say could you move out of the way? You're blocking my light." Selene tried to turned back to her book.

"Do you always argue with people you just meet?" said the other page.

"Only those who are blocking my reading light."

The page stuck out his hand. "I'd like to try to introduce myself. I am Matheo of Nond _**(AN: Another fief in Tortall). **_Liam is my brother."

Selene stared at his hand. "Are you serious? Am I going to shake your hand and suddenly be electrocuted?"

Matheo of Nond grinned impishly, the firelight playing upon his handsome features and tussled blonde hair. "I think that since you're my brother's friend it would be fitting for us to become friends as well."

Selene matched his impish grin and shook his hand, noting happily that nothing shocked her. "Nice to meet you, I guess. Now could you move out of the way, you're still in my light?"

* * *

Selene remained on Lord Haminch's bad side, although she doubted she'd ever land on his good side. He still screamed at her the most during training and singled her out to demonstrate a move on. This always added to Selene's growing collection of bruises as Haminch seemed to hit her harder and faster than he did to other boys. One day during archery practice, when Haminch had really ticked her off, Selene turned to him and loosed an arrow at him, pinning the corner of his tunic against a tree. He was stunned into silence for all of two seconds, before he started cursing at Selene and gave her a month's worth of kitchen chores and restriction to the castle. Robyn and the other boys congratulated her late that evening at dinner, Matheo himself standing up to propose a fake toast in her honor. Selene now earned more of the boys' respect, even if they weren't outwardly accepting her as a friend.

She also became very good at using a staff, now able to wield off basic attack maneuvers and perform the same attack moves on her enemies. The only really weak point was wrestling; even Leo was able to beat her. Still, she didn't let this bring her down and made up her mind to work on lifting the weights Alanna and Kel had sent her, Haminch being kept in the dark about their gift. Another area Selene became very good at was horse-back riding, a nice surprise. She was able to catch on quickly and her horse of choice was the smallest in the stables but it was agreeable. The straw-berry roan colored mare was spirited and even-tempered. As it was a new horse, it was her decision to name it. Selene had wanted to name it Miffy, but thought the title too ridiculous and settled with Mystique. She saddled her horse and led it out into the paddock. Selene was leading Mystique into a gallop when the horse instructor left to attend a summons. He had just left when Alden appeared, leaning on the paddock fence; with a sigh Selene knew he was preparing to throw insults her way.

"What animal are you riding, witch? A pony?" he cackled. "What a brave, frightening knight you are on a pony!"

"At least I can ride without falling off my horse," Selene snapped back. Alden blushed; earlier that day his horse had dumped him twice onto his bottom.

"Go bother someone who actually cares Alden," Liam came up behind Alden and slipped something slimy into the back of his tunic. Alden twitched and tried to reach back into tunic as the mysterious object slipped further and further down his back.

"Ah you stupid pages!" Alden had gotten a handful out now and it turned out to be the green goo from the fountain that Liam and Selene had cleaned two days ago. "I'll make you pay!"

"Yes you keep saying that," Selene had ridden over to the fence, Mystique impatiently pawing the ground. "But so far you keep running off, walk into doorways and get your nose broken by girls. Am I missing anything?" Alden snarled and tried to attack her. He ended up tripping over his shoelaces and falling face forward into a pile of horse dung. The training grounds erupted into laughter as the sight of Alden the Bully finally got what he had coming to him.

* * *

October brought about few changes for Selene and her friends, even though unknown forces were at work throughout Tortall, most of which were only evident to few people. The relative warm days of early autumn drifted into the colder and crisper days of approaching winter, the trees now bare and naked in the gusts of wind. There was talk of violent winter storms in the days to come but Selene wasn't too worried, her Gift would keep her warm enough. Selene had come to enjoy her lessons with Evan, finding a much older but sharp-tongued companion. Selene also found out that because Evan could not keep his mouth shut at times, he was banned from the Tusaine court and had a price on his head in the Copper Islands.

"Nothing to worry about," Evan had had laughed lightly and hugged her close. "No harm will come to you." Selene highly doubted this, fearing his enemies might use her as ransom.

One day in her lessons with Evan, her teacher asked Selene a surprising question.

"If you've always wondered about the identity of your father, why haven't you asked your mother about him?" Selene was used to Evan's direct and oftentimes insensitive questions. For a moment, she stared out through the window, seeing the first flakes of snow fall in the mid-November sky.

"My mother wasn't the type that you could just ask that," Selene muttered, leaning back in her chair. She sometimes could feel the brutal sting of her mother's hand across her face in the night, when nightmares were rampant and caused her a many sleepless night.

"Would you like me to write to her and ask?" Evan inquired softly. "I could be…. Persuasive."

Selene thoughtfully tapped her fingers on the armrest of her chair, contemplating the possibility. "She probably wouldn't want anyone to know, since her husband vowed to kill the man after he found out my mother was pregnant with me." The idea of knowing the identity of her father had fascinated her ever since she became aware that her stepfather was not her biological father. At first, she had dreamed of a noble, handsome knight as her father. As the years dragged on, she stopped dreaming of ever meeting him, since her mother would have forgotten him in her long line of lovers and Elaine's animosity to her strange child prevented any motherly fondness to Selene. Still, the thought of a family that would accept her was tantalizing sweet.

Evan noticed Selene's silence and pulled out two mugs of hot chocolate that had been warming by the fire.

"I believe hot chocolate always drives these damp and miserable feelings in the room," Evan handed Selene a cup of the steaming liquid. Kitten looked up at Evan and growled gently.

"Yes, yes you too Kitten," Evan poured a saucer for the blue dragon and together they watched the snow fall, small white specks against the infinite grey sky.

* * *

Deep in the dark caverns in the recesses of the mountains in northern Tortall, a figure dispatched itself from a pool of stale water. It was weary and oh so weak, wasting away his youthful years in the darkness, feeding off these unfulfilling rodents and animals that wandered into his home and killing those humans who trespassed. It once had so much might, so much power and here it squatted, alone. A scurrying of rodent feet drew its attention. The lurking person sprang up from its crouch and sent a bolt of magic to kill the animal with a flick of his wrist. Yes, it was too alone down here, time to take sweet revenge which he had put off so long. He called a small ball of light to him and it glowed orange in the endless gloom…

* * *

**Cliffhanger? I think so. **G**uess who registered for SATs and started looking at colleges? That's right, me so I'm sorry if I don't update as often because I'll busy with all that and studying for AP tests as well. ****I hope you enjoyed this and I'll tell you now I won't post Chapter 12 until I crack 50 reviews for this story, not hard considering I have 43 already. Tell me something to improve, tell me what you don't like, what you did like, don't be shy ^^ Keep reading, cause I will keep updating!**


	12. Bloody Snow

**A decision has been made, mainly by me and mainly by popular demand :) This will be a two-part saga! Yay! So in undertaking such a huge project, I ask some patience as I will continue to write as often as I can and probably finish **_**Into the Flames **_**by June or something and work on the sequel during summer (estimation only! Don't hold me to my word). Everything will be explained in good time. **_**Furry Mckrill**_**, no you're not over-stepping boundaries you're perfectly entitled to speak your opinion, although I ask why you don't want a Selene/Leo romance. **_**KarmaHope**__**,**_** you never know, I might do a 360 on you and Selene's father could be a lizard (kidding, maybe). And if you figure out Selene's knight master, I don't know what I'll do. Probably make a character in your honor. **_**Yreva13**_**, I agree we'll see more character development, definitely more of Evan who has oddly become a favorite of mine. **_**Aria657**_**, there won't be extreme fighting action in EVERY chapter but of course something interesting to keep it moving. **_**Meus Dulcis Angelus,**_** I still want to know what your name means ^^ actually I was thinking about doing that, not telling you the name of Selene's knight master at the end of her page years, but I will show it at the beginning of her squire years story. ****, yes I don't like that sentence either now that you point it out. However this is the middle ages and their way of speaking is a bit different than ours, but indeed it was a poor choice :) **_**Logitech Mouse**_**, if you like it now, wait until later in the story; it's going to be amazing. Ok enough with long author notes at the beginning. Two chapter special tonight. Enjoy! **

It was a fantastic steed: its coat gleamed like gold, its mane was flowing silver and its dainty hooves were polished diamonds. Robyn rode the gallant stallion across white dunes with the blazing red sun setting in the west. Robyn pulled the reins of the golden horse and it reared on its hind legs, the sun glinting off its hooves and appearing blood red. The noble horse threw back its head and neighed loudly. But oddly, from its mouth emerged not the fiery battle cry of a warhorse, but rather a young girl's voice. A very familiar voice. A very, irritated familiar voice.

"I swear if you don't get your noble arse out of your noble bed in five seconds I'm going to set you and your bed on fire." Robyn struggled through his sleepy haze only half comprehending the words being spoken to him.

"Liam, Leo; grab his legs. We'll have to do this the hard way." Robyn felt his wrists and ankles being grabbed and was hoisted out of his warm bed onto the cold floor of room. Robyn immediately perked up as the cold set in.

"Ow, what in god's name was that for?" Robyn stood and rubbed his arms for warmth. "Isn't there a normal way to wake people up?"

"Yes, for normal people," Selene retorted. Today, she had put her hair back in a sharp braid and let her bangs fall in their usual way, half concealing her eyes and face. "But normal methods cannot be used on heavy sleepers."

"We were saving this for an extreme situation," Liam held up a bucket of water, ice still floating on its freezing surface.

"Are you insane?" Robyn half-shouted. It was much too early to shout and much too early to have frozen water thrown on him. "You wouldn't do that, you're too nice."

"Maybe I am," Liam grinned. "But I'm sure Selene would enjoy getting back at you after you lost her book."

"I didn't lose it, Selene, I misplaced it and some Stormwing took off with it."

"You expect me to believe those ridiculous lies?" Selene replied angrily. "It's probably buried under some rubbish heap under your bed."

"Not unless the boogey man took it," Robyn grinned widely and watched a flustered Selene being dragged out of his room by Leo and Liam, who said they would wait for him in the corridor. The door shut and Robyn dressed quickly in his chilly room. Fires were not needed in pages' rooms as the pages themselves spent so little time in them, being busy for the most part of their day. Robyn paused and then decided to put on an undershirt, seeing as the castle would be cold despite the numerous fires burning everywhere. The weather mages had been right about the many snow storms that had come their way that winter. Ever since mid-November the castle and surrounding country side had been buried under two feet of snow or more at any given time. The result for the lower class was near-famine like conditions. Communication from the castle and elsewhere, as well as spy reports, now relied heavily on Daine's animal messengers, mostly hawks, eagles, owls and any other birds that might brave the winter cold.

Robyn sighed in content as he noticed how much warmer he felt with his undershirt. He buckled on his dagger and wondered briefly if Selene had to endure the cold like everyone else. Most likely not, as she still wore her summer clothes and seemed not to suffer nor feel the chill. Robyn once again wished he was gifted as a fire mage. His own Gift was general and common enough. However it was better than no Gift, he thought. Seeing as this was mid-January, ordinarily they would have started with basic fencing. Now left with indoor training arenas that always seemed to be full with knights, soldiers and others, Haminch was furious at this set-back and took his frustration out mainly on Selene and Leo. Robyn once had told him to calm down, but in not such a polite way, and Haminch had restricted him to the castle until the end of January. It wasn't any punishment, since there was too much snow to enjoy anything outside the castle. But like Haminch, Robyn was feeling coped up after staying mainly inside the castle for almost three months. There was still three more months of winter to endure through until spring came and thawed the land. Until then, they would have to make do with what they had.

Robyn yawned loudly and left his rooms, locking the door behind him. Selene was still glaring at him and Leo was absent-mindedly observing a spider spinning its web in a corner.

"Are we all set?" Liam asked. Unlike Robyn, Liam was also a morning person, something that both Selene and Robyn detested him for.

"Mhmm no Dorian isn't here yet," Leo pointed out. The two boys were now best friends and Robyn couldn't help but feel a pang of jealously as he felt Leo had replaced him with Dorian. But unlike Robyn, Dorian did not attack Leo with textbooks, or yell at him or push him underwater in the baths. Robyn decided he would stop playfully drowning the red-haired boy, now realizing how stupid it was.

"No, I'm right here," Dorian arrived, still struggling to buckle his belt. Robyn wanted to punch him, but knew Leo would not forgive him.

"Phew let's go, I'm starving," Liam said.

"You're always hungry," Selene sighed.

"Well when you're a growing boy," Liam slyly said. Selene punched him in the shoulder and the blonde laughed. They had all grown a bit during their time there. All except for Selene who was a full three inches shorter than Leo. Robyn had gotten new clothes just yesterday actually.

"Well I'm not a boy," Selene retorted. "And thank the gods for that."

"Seeing as you're a year older than us you'd think she'd be a bit taller," Liam giggled and poked the girl on her side. Selene jumped, as she was surprisingly ticklish there, a fact which Liam exploited. They were walking down the main staircase when they passed Neal of Queenscove and Evan on the way down.

Evan spotted them and waved at them brightly. "Good morning dear pages. I hope your night was a restful one." Selene rolled her eyes at her teacher, now being used to his odd ways. The other boys were not and Robyn secretly considered Evan a nutjob.

Neal sighed dramatically, and went on with what he was saying. "Yuki was so demanding this morning. She wanted watermelon! Can you believe that? Watermelon in the middle of winter." Neal shook his head in dismay. "I'm overjoyed that Yuki and I are expecting a child but," he dropped his voice to a whisper. "She can be sort of scary at times." He looked at the group of pages who had drifted closer to hear the older men's conversation. "I see pages are still eavesdropping like always. Nothing has changed."

"Why," Liam exclaimed. "I wouldn't learn anything if I didn't eavesdrop. Besides, you were speaking loud enough for everyone to hear."

"Oh yes, children are as pert as ever," Evan added and grinned while Selene and the boys bristled at being called children. "No, no; you are children. When you earn your shields than I might think of you as adults."

Kitten had crawled out from behind a potted plant and now was begging at Selene's feet to be carried. With a sigh, Selene picked up the dragon which was almost too large to carry. Evan noted the dragon in Selene's arms.

"Why don't you bring Kitten to our lesson today; there's something that I would like to try." Selene looked at her mentor questionably, but knew he wouldn't reveal anything until he wanted to share.

"I love this bonding session, but I'm going to pass out unless I eat something soon." Robyn said.

"Well I hope you do," Selene said back as they said good-bye to Neal and Evan and continued to the dining hall. "If you're asleep than maybe you can't lose people's property."

"Robyn," Dorian said in his soft voice. "Are you taking about the book that you lent me?"

Robyn laughed nervously and turned away from Selene who was glaring daggers at the prince. "Oh yes that book. I can't believe you took it from me without my permission. Gods above Dorian you can't just do that to people." Dorian gapped and stuttered out a reply. Selene nudged Dorian with an elbow and shook her head, her way of saying it was alright.

They entered the dining hall and got their food, Kitten waiting patiently at their usual table. It was a bit unnerving, the bond between Selene and the dragon, Robyn thought. Very really did Kitten leave the girl's and Robyn had gotten used to seeing the blue dragon everywhere where Selene was. Not once had Kitten missed out on coming to their afternoon training practices, something that Haminch despised. He tried to have Kitten removed but she had bitten Haminch on his arm in threatening manner and Kitten was left alone to come and go. For now, Robyn heaped his plate with bacon, eggs and fruit. _Oh no oranges today, _he noted sadly. _I guess trade is bad. I wonder how much food there's left. _He reminded himself to ask his older brother Roald although he was busy lately as Shinkokami was pregnant as well. Their father was eagerly looking forward to becoming a grandfather while his mother jokingly said it made her feel old.

**

* * *

**

"Even though we are practicing inside today," Haminch growled to the assembly of pages. "We will continue as if we were practicing outside. First years, today is your lucky day, we'll be starting fencing. Second years, archery; the probationary page can still shoot an arrow better than you. Third years, see if you can show the first years something about fencing. Lastly fourth years, feel free to practice anything that needs working on. Knights will choose their squires soon and it would be a disgrace to see any of you over-looked under my tutelage. Get to work." He stalked off to the squires. The second years were scowling at Selene, who wore a grin on her face. Haminch now affectionately referred to her as the probationary page and what he said had been true: she could shoot an arrow better than them.

The third years were agreeable enough to the pages, showing them the way to stand properly and hold their "sword", a wooden stick in the crude shape of a sword. They knew that wielding a sword was harder than it looked and remembered the first time they had tried. Matheo had partnered up with Selene, knowing other boys would not be so agreeable to her, and partly because he enjoyed her company.

"Don't grip your sword like," he said to her. "Your wrist will lock up and your enemy can knock your sword out of your hand easily."

"Maybe I'll just set him on fire," She muttered.

Matheo shook his head. "If you like using your Gift so often, you should have been a sorcerer." He adjusted her hold on the practice stick.

"I actually considered it," Selene answered. She shifted her feet slightly to stand in a balanced fighting stance and swung her stick the way Matheo had shown her. "But that would mean I would have to stay in the convent under the Daughters and in the City of the Gods. I'm not sure they would have wanted be back there." She grumbled.

"Why? Did you set someone on fire?" Matheo asked.

Selene dropped her eyes to the ground and turned away from him. "Something like that."

Matheo guessed he had hit a sensitive spot and changed the subject. He had come to know Selene very well since he had introduced himself that day in the library and feared she would hit him with her practice stick if he pressed on.

"Well are you going to show me how to do this or are you going to stare off senselessly into space?" Selene asked him gruffly.

Matheo laughed; he had no temper to speak of and Selene's snarky comments rolled off him. "Only if you promise to explain to me that poem I was assigned for reading." While Matheo was brilliant in calculating anything to do with math, Selene's strength lay in understanding whatever text was pushed before her, having studied extensively in her spare time at the convent. She knew three languages besides her own that she spoke every day and could read and understand many different rune texts. Matheo learned that Evan was teaching her ancient spells from a scroll entirely in ancient runes and Matheo could neither make heads nor tails of it when he saw it. He also wasn't sure if that was legal as most spells from the rune age had been banned due to the numerous deaths when attempting them and the countless demons that sometimes were summoned.

"Nond, quit grinning like a baboon and teach this probationary page something!" Haminch had spotted Selene and Matheo talking and had shouted angrily at Matheo.

"He's going to have a heart attack if he keeps screaming like that," Matheo grinned.

"Let's not jinx the chances of that happening," Selene muttered and once again took up the fighting stance.

* * *

Another blizzard raged outside the castle as Matheo and Selene sat in front of the blazing fire in the blonde page's room. Swirling flurries of snow pounded endlessly against the palace walls and the windows let in chilling drafts from the violent winds outside. Numerous people in the Lower city had frozen to death, unable to keep warm in the harsh winter. Livestock too had been frozen to death and the remaining animals were harbored jealously by their owners. There was nothing to do for them except pray to the gods for the peoples' safety. A week had passed since the first years had started fencing and Selene, surprisingly and to Haminch's glum surprise, had caught the hang of it quite easily. She proved herself to be a natural at the sword but Haminch had decided not to let Selene know this and shouted at her all through practice. Selene's temper could not be held in and she ended up throwing her stick at Haminch, who remunerated her with kitchen duties, extra stable duties and extra math work every day for the next month. He had given up restricting them to the palace as he could see now they would not even make it to the palace gates in this weather.

On the other hand, Selene's other classes went passably most of the time and the teachers and the Mithros priests treated her with a distant respect, seeing as she finished the majority of wok they assigned her and knew the answer when she was called upon. At Midwinter, her etiquette teacher had rewarded her with a small box of sweets. She then later ate a piece in full view of Leo, who had turned his puppy dog pleading eyes to her and she couldn't help but falling for his trick and had grudgingly given him a piece. She had drawn the line when Robyn asked, as he had previously teased her that day on her short stature. Selene had formed a small fire cat to chase after Robyn, who was frightened of cats.

"So this line is referring to Ambroise's fight with the giant?" Matheo asked Selene. The poem was long and boring to him but Selene soon found the hidden meanings that the teachers had asked for.

"No it means he's contemplating whether or not his uncle killed his wife." She answered.

"I don't see it." Matheo gloomily tossed the book to the side and stroked Kitten's head, who was lounging in front of the fire with them. Selene stared into the flames of the fire and wished desperately that the snow would let up. She wanted to ride Mystique and be able to go ice-skating on the pond outside. She loved cold weather and hated being kept in. At night, she always opened the winter but kept the shutters closed so that some cold air would cool her room when she slept. The maid who attended her thought the girl crazy and always chided her in the morning when she closed the window. She always knew to bring a shawl when she came to Selene's room, seeing that Selene stubbornly refused to close the window when she slept. Kitten didn't seem to mind the cold either and slept curled on top of Selene in the night since Selene did not move in her sleep and at times looked as though she were dead.

"I wish we could at least go outside to have a snowball fight," Matheo said.

"I wish we could go ice-skating," added Selene. She had her skates in her trunk, now sitting there uselessly.

"Maybe tomorrow since it's supposed to be a sunny day. Or we could practice on fencing," said Matheo shrewdly. He didn't admit it to Selene but if she continued at the pace she was learning she could turn out to be an amazing swordsman, or swordswoman, Matheo corrected himself.

"What's the use? Haminch will yell at me all the same." She had taken Matheo's sword and observed the silvery blade and sharp edges. It was too heavy for her to use but beautiful nonetheless.

"If you practice enough you could fight him one day and defeat him. That'll really give him a heart attack." Matheo offered.

Dorian rushed to Matheo's open door and was out of breath when he gave them the news. "Quickly! Someone's been murdered in the palace!"

* * *

Far to the north of the capital, a man emerged from the dark caves below the earth's surface and stood on a rocky ledge, admiring the snowy landscape of the wild Grimhold Mountains. He closed his eyes and inhaled the frigid air of winter, a cleansing breath that expelled the damp and mildew air from his lungs of the mountain caves. He had changed his clothes from the thin grubby garments he wore below where the air was warmer, to the heavy winter clothes of a mountain dweller. He had stolen them some time ago, killing the man who had owned them. Being low on food, the man who had lived in the caves skinned the man and had roasted him on a huge spite, making a meal out of his victim. He resorted to cannibalism every now and then, doing what he must to survive. He now put his hands on his hips and the bright sun that had come out that afternoon glinted off his brown-black hair. With dark, unnatural maroon eyes he tried to calculate a path to the valley floor below him from the ledge he now stood on. The way was impassable, ice, snow and boulders blocking any path. He frowned and took off his gloves, calling his Gift to him. He summoned air around him and commanded them to propel him to his destination one thousand feet below him.

Garjasla cursed his luck. He pulled on the mule's bridle, trying to force the stubborn animal forward. The mule brawed loudly and dug in his hooves into the thick snow. Garjasla cursed again and knew the gods must be frowning upon him. He had stolen valuable items from a Tortallan temple the night before and was now trying to reach his hideout in the mountains. Suddenly, a shadow appeared from above and the thief looked up. He dropped the mule's bridle as he saw a man _flying through the air towards him! _Garjasla cried out and tried to run through the snow, forgetting his mule. The flying man landed in front of the thief and Garjasla sank to his knees.

"Please don' hur' me sirrah," he spoke with a peasant's accent. "Meself wasn' harmin' nobody."

"Indeed not I think," the man with brown-black hair grinned. "I wasn't after you to harm you. What is your name?"

"Mes name be Garjasla, sirrah" the thief was wringing his hands. "Could ye be tellin' meself whom I be addressn'?"

"My name is Artis," how he had remembered this in the darkness of the caverns. "But it doesn't matter since you'll be dead anyway."

Garjasla cried out as Artis's blade flashed down and cut his throat, spilling the thief's blood onto the pure white snow.

* * *

**Another chapter awaits you because I decided to do a double update. Also, since I'm getting a lot of compliments on my writing, I have to say that English is not my first language. German is actually my first but I can write better in English (it's a weird thing, don't question it). But I can speak German just as well and even better. So now the mysterious man of the mountains now has been named. He is important, hint hint :) Review please!**


	13. Murder in the Palace

**-February 6, 20011- Double update! Read the updated Chapter 12 first if you went directly to this! Some gruesome imagery below**

Crime never sleeps. The expression was true as the palace's inhabitants became restless in the long winter months, trapped in one place. As the snow fell heavily outside, so fell the hand of death inside. A murder had occurred in the castle and everyone was gossiping wildly, afraid they might be next. In the middle of the night one of the king's secretaries had decided to take a stroll down to the infirmary which was always open to everyone. He had a stomach pain that would not go away and feared it could be serious. Apparently he had been attacked not too far from the hallway. The killer had made sure to kill his victim silently as not to disturb anyone and draw attention to himself and his actions. Anyone who had been present at the untouched crime scene now knew why he wished to be undisturbed.

Blood was everywhere in the hallway. It was hard to believe that so much could come from one body. Or so they thought. They found another body in the shadows of the hallway, drained of blood as had the first victim. It was a maid, and no one knew what she had been doing there in the middle of the night. Their bodies had their throats cut wide open and other large gash on their thighs, digging deeply into their large veins. With the red liquid, the killer had drawn large demonic heathen symbols in a twisted sort of ritual. Whatever the killer had intended to do was interrupted by a palace guard. According to him the killer was a shadowy figure in the flickering light of the torches that managed to slip away. The guard tried to run after him but fell over the body of the secretary and screamed when he saw the mutilated corpse. His scream was what had alerted the healers still awake in the infirmary.

Selene, Kitten and her friends were some few feet away from the crime scene. The brutality of it all stunned the young pages and Dorian had to turn away from the awful sight. The coppery metallic scent of blood filled the entire hallway and was slightly reminiscent of a battlefield, thought Raoul as he stood next to the king. Jon looked at the large knight and shook his head, conveying his confusion over the situation.

"Do recognize any of these runes?" Jon asked him in a hushed tone.

Raoul shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not a mage or scholar. Do you think Numair, or gods above, Evan would know what these runes mean?"

"I'd wager Evan would know more about it than Numair. That's what Evan studied at the mage's university."

"You know this for sure?" Raoul asked. He signed a paper that was handed to him and the secretary scurried off with it.

"Yes, I checked his background." Jon answered. Raoul raised a questioning eyebrow. "I had to know what people I keep in my court." Jon explained. "But one thing that escapes me is his place of origin. I couldn't find any records on his hometown, family or anything. It's like he appeared out of nowhere."

"We'll have to keep an eye out for him than," Raoul said and Jon looked towards Evan who was approaching them after receiving Jon's summons, but was having a hard time getting through the group of palace guards.

"Also it said he attended the university over forty years ago, but that's impossible; he doesn't look a day over twenty-five." Jon whispered.

Raoul's eyes widened in surprise. "That's not natural."

"You called for me milord," Evan bowed a normal bow to Jon. Raoul nodded to Jon and went off to talk to the captain of the palace guards.

"Yes, I know you specialize in ancient runes. What can you tell me about these symbols?" Jon waved his arm in a general area, indicating the blood-covered hallway.

Evan looked closely at the one nearest to him and sighed. "These will be hard to decipher. It's like the Yamani language; they have many different symbols for different meanings and sounds that can stand alone or can be combined to form words. I have to ask that you do not erase anything."

Jon ran his hands through his graying hair, a sign that the once youthful and famous generation of the Lioness's time was aging, and soon others would have to step up and take their place. "That would be hard to explain to the maids and other palace staff. No one wants to be reminded of this and no one wants to put up with this stench."

"This could very well be an attempt to summon a lesser demon," Evan explained. "That symbol over here stands for 'master' and the ones next to it are 'sacrifice' and 'obedience' or 'allegiance'; it's hard to tell without proper lighting. For the safety of the palace and yourself, please allot me the time I need to find an answer. And have someone spell the corridor so the smell isn't so bad."

The king of Tortall now had crossed his arms and was looking at the symbols Evan had pointed out. "I thought demons were forever banished into the Underworld."

"Yes and no," Evan explained. "It was such a long times ago that it's hard to separate history from myth as our ancestors were not too fond of keeping a reliable record."

"Then you have my permission to do whatever needs to be done to find out who did this and what their intentions are." Jon paused. "If anything I am glad we have you on our side."

"You are lucky indeed," Evan murmured thoughtfully.

* * *

Evan mapped out the bloody symbols on the walls and floor on parchment within a few days and made careful note of the locations. The blood was washed away but the metallic smell lingered on. Evan enlisted Selene's help in decoding the symbols. He had drawn the line when she asked him if she could help him map out the symbols. Evan said he did not want her to be in such an evil and horrific place. Still, Selene proved herself to be proficient in deciphering runes and required only minimal consolation to a rune dictionary to find their meanings. Evan purposely gave her one that he had already decoded, one that was not as malevolent and evil as the other sections. Although Selene had been through horrible times in her life, this was more corrupt than anything she had seen. His guess had been correct and this was indeed a demon summoning ritual, although the killer never had time to finish writing what demon he had wanted to summon. Evan was also worried that since his task had not been completed, the killer would try again and perhaps next time would do so in not such a public area. The week dragged on and the killer was not found, not due to the lack of competence in the king's men but rather a lack of evidence from which they could work from. Bloody footprints could be tracked to some feet from the symbols but the murderer apparently took off his shoes and ran away in stockings.

"Evan I finished this section," Selene proudly held up the parchment with the translated runes. "Is there another one I can do?"

"No, I'm sorry that's all there is." It was a lie. Evan had finished them the night before and had given them to King Jon. "I think it's time we went on to another lesson. I'm not quite sure ancient runes are still legal in Tortall."

Selene looked up at Evan with slight annoyance and a hint of fear in her eyes. "Fantastic I have Gypsy Bandits after me; I may or may not be targeted for ransom to use against you by Tusaine agents and I'm studying black magical arts, which of course, might or might not be illegal. Thank you Evan."

"It's not black magic, it's just….complicated magic," Evan told her and patted her head lightly. Selene groaned and rested her head against the table. Kitten looked up briefly from the meat bone she was gnawing on and after a few seconds, returned to her meal.

"How about we learn about….familiars?" Evan asked.

"Is that black magic?" Selene questioned her mentor.

"No I actually flipped to the page at random and decided it would be a good lesson." Evan held up the book he had randomly flipped through.

Selene raised her head. "Aren't those illegal too?"

"It's not illegal it's frowned upon." Evan stretched out his arms and skipped around the room. "Familiars are magical conjurations of a person's subconscious. So usually witches are known to have cats as familiars, but that's only in popular legend. It probably started with Wild Mages, like Daine, who always seemed to have animals around them. A familiar's form can also depend on the person's magical power. Those with a stronger Gift usually have large and powerful familiars like a wolf or a hunting dog. I believe a sorcerer once had a griffin, or a lion; the text was hard to read." He stopped skipping and sat with his legs stretched out in front of him by the fireplace. "Most of those with the Gift are sometimes unaware that they can form a familiar of their own. I myself have one."

"Really?" Selene asked.

"Oh yes mine is a dolphin." Evan answered.

"I thought yours might be a bit more impressive." Selene mumbled disappointedly.

"Dolphins are very intelligent creatures," Evan exclaimed loudly. "It's easier to conjure with a body of water nearby or even a bowl or bucket of water would do. However I'm sure you would have an easier time with a fire familiar."

"So, how does one make a familiar?"

"Well as you are still very young, it would be behind your capabilities to conjure."

"Then why are you even mentioning it?" Selene snapped her quill in anger.

"I thought it would be interesting information to share." Evan smiled and stared into the red hot coals of the fire, while Selene briefly considered setting Evan's beloved hair on fire.

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter but it was a double update. Haha **_**Hangover**_** quote in here. Awesome movie. –Important notice- Review, review, review –End of Important Notice- **


	14. Hope and Horror of Spring

**Hello this is black-venom-heart writing to you from the future year of 20011; thank you to KarmaHope for pointing out that date mistake last chapter. Anywho, this chapter is dedicated to KarmaHope because she spotted most of my mistakes. Sorry KarmaHope, I love Roger and it would have been a great story if Roger was Selene's father but the dates don't match up. Selene would be thirty by now if Roger was her father. Furry Mckrill: No Neal is not Selene's knight master, sorry dear. Aria657: No Kitten is just an Immortal and not Selene's familiar. She will have one later on. Ok new bully in this story since this Alden was too easily defeated. **

* * *

In the pale pink dawn of a crisp spring morning, Selene was leaning out from her window taking in the beautiful view that lay before her. Spring had come in earnest with monsoon rain over the past weeks which had cleared away the heavy snow that blanketed the land since November, leaving the earth awash in slugging mud. The warming weather of April had seemed to cleanse and brighten the spirits of the palace inhabitants since the winter had brought nothing but despair and agitation within the walls. Selene stretched out her arms to take in the cool air, so unlike the harsh bitterness of winter. Kitten leapt up onto the windowsill next to her as if to caution her so that Selene would not fall out of the window. Together, they enjoyed the glorious sunrise of that morning: clouds were streaked with cherry pink and violet streaks and the soft glow of gold hinted on the horizon. The pealing of bells sounded over the numerous chirps of the songbirds on the palace roof. Selene lightheartedly waved as a small flock fluttered past her window. Kitten snapped playfully at the passing birds earning her a stern chiding from Selene. A knock at her door drew the girl's attention away from the sunrise.

"Selene, are you awake?" She heard Robyn speak from the other side of the door.

Selene closed her window with a sigh. "Coming!" She belted on her own small sword, one that she had welded with the help of Dom who, at the urgings of Kel and the subtle threats of Evan to tear his hair out if Dom didn't watch out for Selene, had helped her form her very first sword. It small, suited just for her and she would have to replace it as she got older.

"Come on Selene, hurry up," Robyn said impatiently in a sluggish morning voice. Selene grumbled about Robyn's audacity; surely just because he had turned twelve in February did not give him the right to boss her around. By now, he should know better that she did not take orders but from a select few. Dorian had celebrated his birthday not long after that, although with their work load there was not much time to celebrate. They had been given small presents by their friends though. Selene swung open the door suddenly, much to Robyn's surprise who fell backwards.

"Very smooth indeed, your Highness." As always Selene used the honorific with an exaggerated sarcastic tone.

"An exemplary show of the grace and elegance befitting royalty," yawned Dorian as he arrived.

"Since when are you such in a talkative mood in the morning?" Selene asked suspiciously. It was not like Dorian to talk much at all.

"Since when have we had such a marvelous day ahead of us?" Matheo materialized next to Selene and put an arm around her slender shoulders. Selene slapped his hand away. He had been doing that lately, ever since Selene had gone through a growth spurt of about five inches in the last four months bringing her height up to a whooping five feet two inches. She was now taller than Dorian and Leo and about the same height as Robyn. Liam was still taller than all of them and of course Matheo still towered above the younger pages. But as Selene reasoned, Matheo was older so it didn't count.

Matheo stretched his arms above his head and waved over two other boys of his age, Mikhail of Wellam and Gabriel of Meron (**AN: Real fiefs in Tortall)**.

"I see you still hang with this little witch." Mikhail rudely pointed at Selene. She gave him the finger and was about to protest further when Gabriel caught her off with a slight laugh.

"You should know Mikhail that 'this little witch' killed more hurrocks last fall than Raoul and Padraig did together." Gabriel's auburn hair shone like dark copper wire in the golden sunlight from the spring sun. "But since your mathematic skills suck you couldn't be able to figure that out."

"Don't you even dare bring that into this!" snarled Mikhail "This is about her!"

"Yeah thanks don't worry I haven't heard a word you've said." Selene said sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

"Yes you are deaf as a bat and as ugly as one too." Came the cold drawling voice of Felzhair A'hemd. The Bazhir nonchalantly strolled towards them and stood next to Mikhail who looked at the dark-skinned boy with a mixture of fear and disgust. Kitten curled protectively around Selene's leg and glared up at the new boy with serpentine eyes.

Selene sighed and crossed her arms across her faintly raised chest. "That's funny, coming from someone who looks like a camel's ass."

Felzhair, Selene's new arch nemesis, blushed and narrowed his eyes. "Quite the charmer aren't you? Any other perks that you're hiding?" Selene reckoned that if Felzhair used any more sarcasm his jaw would fall off.

"Do you mean the secret perk where I'm able to kick your ass and make you cry in less than thirty seconds? Yeah I'm hiding that one."

Felzhair strode up to Selene so that they were standing chest to chest, mere centimeters separating them. "Listen to me _girl,_" Felzhair emphasized this word as if it were a dirty insult. "While I am more patient than that infidel of an oaf Alden, I am much more dangerous than anyone you will meet here." He hissed.

"If you're any more dangerous than standing next to Leo when he's wielding a sword than I might have something to worry about." Selene retorted. "For now I think you're number one hundred sixty-two on my list of things to worry about, right after fluffy bunny rabbits."

Selene was worried when a smile spread over Felzhair's face. "You think you're pretty smart don't you?" He uttered.

"No," Selene answered coolly, confidence and a smudge of arrogance evident in her voice. "I _know _that I'm smart."

Felzhair threw back his head and laughed a cruel and empty mocking laughter. "You would have been executed long ago if you had grown up in my tribe." Kitten flicked her tail in annoyance and extended her claws further than normal, feeling the rising anger of her mistress. Felzhair had proven to be a formidable foe to be reckoned with. While he had not openly fought her, in the past few months he had always shoved her roughly, made snarky comments when she was in earshot and threatened her. Selene knew that Felzhair was itching for the chance to find her alone and hold true to all of the nasty threats he had sent her way. It was unnerving the way he looked at her, like a vulture waiting to stoop down on its prey. She was also quite sure that there was something entirely wrong with his mind as had gotten in trouble recently for torturing small animals. The fourth year page had only the company of two other Bazhir boys as most others were quite right to fear Felzhair.

Robyn, who had grew impatient, grabbed Selene by the hand and nudged Liam and the others to leave as to get away from this crazy Bazhir. "We'd love to hear stories of your troubled childhood and your Camel-Butt-Tribe but I'm hungry and you're getting on my nerves. Good day." With that, the youngest prince of Tortall and his friends left the hallway. Mikhail and Gabriel came with them since Matheo was dragged along.

"That is one boy I would not want to meet in a dark alley," Gabriel shuddered. Selene still couldn't decide if she liked this boy or not, even though she had known him for almost eight months. Gabriel was good-looking enough, longish auburn hair and hazel eyes with a slightly hooked nose. He was a tall boy and very toned from years of practice. He had a charming personality and while he could be reserved at times, he spoke often and was very smart. On the downside, this was all from Selene's observation as she and Gabriel never had spent "quality" time together as Matheo had put it. Mikhail could be nice at times but it seemed the boy had not yet come to term with a girl page. Mikhail himself had dark brown eyes and a mop of curly dusty brown hair. He was stout with a strong jawline was a hardy survivor, living near the turbulent border of Tortall and Tyra. While Mikhail was only a second year, Gabriel and Matheo were in the third year. It surprised Selene to count the number of people she had become friends with and even more so the number of people who weren't exactly friends but a part of her daily life. Breakfast was a loud affair that morning, pages and squires alike eager to finally be able to train outside for the first time since November. Haminch had once tried to order them out in March but they returned after discovering they mud came up to their ankles. Needless to say, every one that afternoon had disliked Haminch much more than usual. Morning classes today passed by too slowly and even Selene's session with Evan could not go by fast enough. She continually tapped her foot or formed small floating fires in front of her out of boredom and impatience. Evan knew they were not going to make any progress that morning and instead let her make fire figures and such.

"Actually," Evan muttered. He watched Selene unsuccessfully attempt to conjure a life-size fire horse, a form well beyond her capabilities. "How would like to make a familiar?"

Selene looked up. "I thought you said I was too young to try anything like that?"

"Yes now you are," He came to sit down next to her. "But maybe not next year. You see if you keep practicing, if you keep pushing yourself than eventually you can do whatever you like."

The orange-eyed girl looked thoughtfully at the ceiling for a second. "Is it a hard spell?"

"Extremely." Selene looked at her teacher in disbelief and Evan only laughed and hugged her tightly, ignoring her protests.

* * *

Selene blocked Robyn's overhead slash with her shield and countered it with her own downward slash, a blow that might split Robyn in two if they had been using real swords. The leather training armor was hotter for Selene than it was for her opponent, her Gift rising her body temperature several degrees higher than a normal human. Robyn managed to dodge Selene's swing but still ended up getting a hard rap to his shoulder. He sucked in his breath sharply and shook the sweat dripping from the ends of his hair. Gripping his stick tighter, Robyn attempted an attack to Selene's flank but she brought up her stick to block it and parried it. Robyn stepped forward and attempted a ballestra move, hoping to catch Selene off guard. The girl instead moved to the side and slashed at her opponent's chest, which he had kept wide open. Robyn could not move in time and Selene got him square in his chest. Robyn withdrew, wheezing, and swung at her other side, Selene ready for this move as Robyn had tried the same maneuver three times now. Haminch had spotted Robyn's repeated mistake.

"An enemy with half a brain can easily track that move and you'll be dead before you know it," he yelled out. "That's enough of you two." Selene and Robyn gratefully relaxed and took off their sweat-lathered armor.

"That was pretty brutal," Robyn said as they gulped down the water they were given.

"For you maybe," Selene wiped her forehead with her sleeve and retied her hair that had become loose during their mock fight.

"I think you're getting to be a pretty good swordswoman," Matheo winked at Selene, who had been present to oversee the entire fight. She poked the older boy in the side with her stick. Matheo grabbed it and twisted it out of her grasp and playfully nudged her. Selene gasped; the insolence of him!

"Hey you two if you're done flirting with each other let's go to the archery range." Robyn called back to them.

Selene flushed and kicked Matheo in the shins before following Robyn. Flirting indeed, she thought. She was small, skinny and not as developed as other girls her age. There was no way Matheo was interested in her like that! Besides her goal was not to lay with as many men as she could. No, her goal was to earn her shield. Robyn was only teasing but Selene decided to pull a prank on him for punishment and would ask Liam to help her later.

Archery was a much more calming affair, if knight training could be called calming. There was no enemy standing in front of her intent on killing her, no constant thinking needed for survival. Archery was a one-man matter, the only goal was the target in front of her. Selene strung her longbow, a weapon usually used by men older and stronger than her. Having advanced for beyond the small bow of pages, Selene felt confident in her capabilities to wield this. She notched a green-fletched arrow to the string and pulled it back. She took a deep breath, straightening her arm across her chest, keeping her wrist still and keeping a light but firm grip on her bow. Selene closed one eye to get a better view of the target one hundred yards away and adjusted her angle. She let loose the arrow and it flew straight through the air pounding into the center of the red bulls-eye. She grinned and notched another arrow again and again and again all landing on the red bulls-eye. Suddenly, an arrow landed on her target that was most definitely not hers. She turned to find Liam smirking as his arrow landed dead center just as all of hers had done.

"I think we might actually be equal in this," Liam said as he came to stand next to her.

"Let's find out shall we?" Selene challenged him.

"Whatever you wish m'lady," Liam smiled. Like his older brother Matheo, Liam could be quite the charmer. Selene searched around for a suitable target.

"Alright then those two apples hanging off the tree," She pointed to a tree that was further away than their practice target. They both checked to see where their instructor was and when the cost was clear, launched their arrows. Both of them managed to hit the target and the apples fell to the ground with a _plunk._

"That is not an appropriate target pages," Their instructor had evidently seen their game. He came over and pulled at his greying beard. Unlike their other instructors, Lord Yajsaik was more apt to think before yelling out and was calmer and more patient. He was also quicker to helpfully correct a mistake than berate you for it. He had come from Sarain and was an old friend of Thayet's. He had escaped from the corrupted and murderous society to Tortall and Thayet had greeted him happily, as he had been a family ally. He recently took up the position of archery trainer and the boys adored him.

"But I might add that was very good work." Lord Yajsaik added. "We might have you shoot moving targets next." He was contemplating on how to do so when he bell rung that marked the end of afternoon practice. Evening was falling on the palace and the pages made their way to the baths to scrub off the fine layer of grime and sweat from the day's work. Selene ran to the women's baths as it was closer and faster than running up to her room to take one. In the bath, she discovered new cuts and bruises and applied ointment so that she would not be so sore tomorrow. Selene stood in front of the mirror and unhappily noted the growing of her chest. Her mood darkened every time she got dressed and now had to wear a small breastband. It made her feel incredibly self-conscious when she was around her friends and was a reminder that she was simply a girl, whether she wished to admit it or not. She tried to move her tunic so that it might be less noticeable for her own comfort, but there was no hiding it: she was growing into a woman and eventually would have to embrace it. She sighed deeply and tied her damp hair back into her usual braid and along with Kitten, went to the dining hall to wait on the nobles at dinner. She staggered back to her room late at night and dropped unceremoniously into bed, completely exhausted.

* * *

Alanna the Lioness sat up suddenly in bed, panting hard as her heart beat wildly. It took her mere moments to discern her surroundings and was reassured of her safety as she realized she was in her bedchambers. She brought up her knees so that her head might rest on them. Alanna's shaking hands clutched at her fiery red hair and she took a few calming breaths. It seemed that the Goddess had seen fit to intervene in her life once more. Her nightmare had started off as a regular dream: random memories of her time as a squire. But it was not her face that had seen: it was her youngest son's, Leo. Selene had been there too, although both had been older. Leo had grown into a tall handsome young man while Selene had been harder to see, more hazy than anything else, but older all the same. Roger had appeared, but it wasn't quite Roger. Orange magic had bloomed and Alanna had woken up. The dream was more than discomforting, it was frightening. Alanna could not understand why but few things frightened her that much.

Next to her, George stirred under the bedsheets and opened his eyes to see his wife sitting in bed with her head cradle between her hands.

"You alright love?" He sat up and hugged the small woman to his chest.

"Nothing but a horrible dream," Alanna tried to play it off. It was still somewhere in the dark hours of the night and she knew she would not be able to sleep now.

"I don't think ye'd be so worked up about a mere dream," George murmured.

"George," she said firmly. The baron of Pirate's swoop knew his wife well enough to know that the matter was closed, but only for the time being.

"Well I'm always here for ye, ye know that lass," Hearing her pet name, Alanna relaxed slightly and snuggled against her husband. "Now why don't we try to sleep some more? Morning's soon to come and'll dispel any of yer bad thoughts." Alanna laid against George, her husbands armed wrapped protectively around her. He soon fell asleep while orange fire and Roger haunted her to dawn's light.

* * *

"You go in first."

"No, you go it was your idea."

"I'll burn you if you don't go in."

"I don't think this is a good idea."

"Well you're always afraid of something!"

"Stop that! It's not fair!"

"Grgh! I'll put you in a headlock!" Selene, Robyn, Leo and Dorian were quietly arguing and threatening each other in front of the door to Liam's room in the early dawn hours of morning.

Robyn sighed. "Alright on three we'll all go in together. Agreed?" They nodded and Robyn held up his fingers, counting towards three. They burst into Liam's room in an explosion of noise and awoke a startled Liam.

"Happy Birthday!" His friends shouted in unison. Liam was bewildered and had thought momentarily that they had come to murder him.

"Umm, thanks?" Liam stammered.

"We made this especially for you." Dorian proudly held out a small cake to Liam. He took it and surveyed it with suspicion.

"Is this poisonous?" He asked warily.

Selene threw up her hands in the air and Kitten off a sound that sounded much like a dragon's laugh. "I've never been more offended. A poisoned cake for a friend, really Liam we're not that heartless."

"You're always offended by something." Robyn sighed. Selene punched him in his arm, giving proof to Robyn's statement.

"Usually I'm just offended by idiots."

"Anyway," Leo interrupted. "Happy Birthday Liam, that's all of ours' gift to you." He grinned mischievously, a rare occasion for him. "I gave the poisoned cake to Felzhair."

The entire room was shocked and looked at Leo in amazement.

"I love you Leo," said Selene absently. The rest of the boys burst into laughter while Leo stood there blushing a bright cherry red.

* * *

**South of the northern Grimhold Mountains…**

Artis had taken a small room in a modest inn in the foothills of the mountain. How glorious it was to return to civilization after so long! He could not fathom why he had not done so long ago. That early spring day he descended from the mountains leading the mule he had stolen from the thief in the dead of winter. The pass had been blocked by snow so Artis had taken shelter in another cave while waiting for warmer weather to melt the blockading snow. It had been a wonder to walk into a human town once more, although he had given the landlady of the inn a dreadful fright. Of course he had not shaved nor cut his hair for quite some time. His clothes had been patched and torn and immediately set out to buy new ones, or rather steal from unsuspecting shopkeepers as he had no money. He emerged later that evening from his room, clean shaven and hair trimmed to medium length in respectable clothing. He was very handsome, the landlady had thought after she had seen him and immediately regretted treating him badly before. Artis took no notice and inquired as to where he might buy a horse. He found a seller and traded his mule for a strong black stallion.

Artis headed off that day riding his newly named horse, Charon. Finally, he set out on his long put off quest of revenge, one that he had promised to carry out under pain of death…

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**I should have updated more this week but school work is always first. I also did a little bit of research on medieval weapons so I don't sound completely like a Mary-Sue when I write about it. More new characters; if you think it's too OC well I have to give names to the mysterious unnamed people in my story. But they're all tied in to the original series anyway so it doesn't matter. I'm just filling in the blanks. I finalized Selene's family tree. I must add it's veerryy interesting. Enjoy, review and read my other SL story if you haven't already! One more thing: I know there are a lot of girl readers out there but are there any guys? I'm just wondering out of curiosity nothing weird.**

**Bonus question: Who exactly is Charon ?**


	15. Hiatus and Contest

**Hello again. I'm sorry for the annoying author's notes I keep putting up but I have to say that I'm going on a two week hiatus.**

**Shocking yes I'm sorry but I have SATs and exams to study for and I can't afford any time spent on other things. Yes I'm even giving up my social life to study. I put this up to notify you so that you wouldn't think I'm abandoning this story. After I take the SAT I'll post a double or maybe triple update for compensation. I love this story too much to give it up. Also I promise this is the last author's note I'll post unless I end up in the hospital and can't write for a while, which I hope will not happen.**

**Here's something to keep you busy in the meantime: A contest! Yay! **

**Directions: You may take any of my characters and write a small oneshot situation for them and you can have other "Alanna" characters in there too, but needs to have one of my characters. It can be anything: a look at characters before the start of the story, back-ground stories, growing up, birthdays, funerals, day-to-day life, funny conversations, anything. The choice is yours. If I get enough I'll post them in a separate chapter in my story. You will get credit for your own writing don't worry.**

**This should be fun, especially for you who want to fill in on any scenes that you feel should have been in the story or those that have really gotten to like some of the characters, especially Evan. If I don't get one of him, I'm going to cry. Just kidding...not**

**Reminder of My Characters: Selene, Evan, Leo, Robyn, Liam, Dorian, Matheo, Alden, Felzhair (there's others but these will be best to work with)**

**If you have a short scene or don't have an account I guess you can put up a reivew. Or you may email me**: blackdragonfreak45(at sign)yahoo (dot)com

**If you choose to email me I will respect your privacy and not contact you further and only thank you nicely for sending me a scene.**

**If you have a longer one and no account, email me. If you have an account, PM me or email me. **

**Writer of the Best Scene will have a character made in their honor or something. I'm looking forward to reading some of your perspectives. And I'm definitely looking forward to the free time where I can be able to continue the story.**

*****Important*** An amazing reviewer, Jiraya Kyushu, has generously offered to tanslate **_**Into the Flames**_** into French! Lets all thank her, even though many of you don't speak French that's still flipping amazing. ***Thank you once again! *****


	16. I Know

**Whilst this is NOT a chapter, sorry to disappoint, this was the one and only entry I got for the short scene contest I posted (considering I've gotten over 500 views for **_**Into the Flames**_** this month alone, that's a slight downer). This was written by KarmaHope and is absolutely adorable, almost as good as a real chapter :D NO CORRELATION to my original storyline.**

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**I Know**

**By KarmaHope**

There are those who spend their first few waking moments preparing themselves for the day. There are those who take that extra time and attempt to go back to sleep. There are even those who jump immediately out of bed. And then there's the one who has to sit in front of his fireplace, attempting to dry off and warm up.

Robyn shivered, hugging himself tightly. He was drenched from head to toe in icy cold water, courtesy of the people he called his 'friends.' Okay, so he knew that he was not an early bird, but did Selene have to resort to such measures? Every morning? He sighed as he pulled dry clothes on. Breakfast would be any moment now, and he couldn't walk down there looking like a bedraggled puppy, especially when in reality, he was a prince.

The bell rang, its harsh tone echoing throughout the halls. Robyn winced as he stepped out into the hall, beginning his daily trek down to the dining hall. He waved at various people that he knew with a smile. He didn't bother to stop and join them, however, as he was hungry. When he finally made it into the hall, it was easy to find aforementioned 'friends,' due to Selene's black hair and Leo's contrasting orange. They didn't notice him as he grabbed his food, until he sat down between them.

"Well, well. Sleeping Beauty has finally woken up," Selene said looking at him. Sarcasm was dripping from her voice. "How does it feel?"

Robyn smacked her playfully on the back of her head. She glared at him with her fierce orange eyes until he burst out laughing. It wasn't long until she was laughing as well, along with Leo, who had watched the whole exchange. They quieted down as they ate their breakfast, but it didn't last for long.

"So, Selene, where are you headed first?" Leo asked her with the bubbly personality of his. He was particularly attached to the black-haired fire mage, for what reason Robyn could only guess.

"Evan's," she replied shortly. She ate another spoonful of her oatmeal and continued. "I swear, he's a total headcase. I mean, yeah, he knows what he's doing, but whoooooh." At this she made a little twirling motion around her ear with her index finger, causing both Leo and Robyn to smile.

When it was time for the trio to go their separate ways, Selene turned back to the boys and twinkled her fingers in a little wave. "See you later," she called in a falsetto voice before turning and running to her class. Robyn turned back to her, but she was already gone.

The morning classes passed by in a blur, meaning little to Robyn. He was only looking forward to seeing her again on the practice courts. He realized what he was thinking in the middle of mathematics, and promptly hit himself on the head with his textbook, eliciting a muffled 'ow' from himself and hushed giggles from across the room. He smiled ruefully at the teacher. "It won't happen again," he promised. The teacher nodded and turned back to the book.

Finally, classes ended, and he was free to leave. He remembered happily that they would be riding today, the first time in a long while due to storms. He almost ran down to the stables, quickly tacking his horse up. He was done before the rest of the pages around him. With time to waste, he watched Leo fumble with his cinch, his saddle almost falling off in the process. Robyn switched his gaze to Selene, who seemed to be having no trouble. He watched her for probably longer than he should have. The training master arrived to take them out to the field.

"Okay, pipsqueaks. Let's see that you haven't lost those meager skills you've gained so far over the past few days. Probationer! You first," he screamed, singling Selene out specifically, waiting for her to mess up in any way so that he would have the opportunity to criticize her openly. She jumped, and Robyn felt a rage build inside him. He hurried to suppress it.

He carefully watched Selene prepare to mount up beside him. She was confident, and he knew that she had ridden many times before, so he didn't expect her to have any trouble.

Except she did.

As soon as she set her weight in the stirrup, her horse reared, knocking her sideways. Robyn rushed forward and caught her as she fell, just before her head hit the ground. Her eyes widened in shock, as if she was surprised that he had done such a thing. He helped her to her feet, and she grinned wryly at him.

"I guess 'oops' would be an understatement here?" She asked quietly, attempting to cover herself with humor.

"I would say so," Robyn replied, matching her smile with one of his own. They looked at each other for a moment before the lord HaMinch came barreling up beside them.

"Probationer! What happened? Are you incapable of mounting your horse?" He thundered loudly. The rest of the pages were staring at the trio, Leo cowering at the back.

"I- I think maybe something got under his saddle blanket?" Selene ended this statement on a question, even though Robyn could easily tell that it was as much of a question as her Gift was tame.

"Well then you should have checked it before you tacked up! Go fix it, then you'll check the tack every day next week after the evening bell." The lord's voice was harsh as he doled out his punishment, not even looking at her.

"But My Lord, that's hardly fair! Surely there can be some accidents!" Robyn cried out before he could stop himself. Lord HaMinch turned back with an icy glare.

"Then maybe you should join her," he threatened, his voice just as cold as the rest of him. Robyn shut up, but it was too late. "You will join her. Report to the stableman after the evening bell next week. He'll see that you'll work."

With that, the training master strode away, commencing the rest of the day's ride. Robyn and Selene looked at each other. She rolled her eyes, and they went with the flow.

"Gaaaah, I hate him. I just . . . uuuhhgg," Selene paced the width of the library, practically pulling her hair out. Robyn and Leo sat quietly at one of the tables, along with some of their other friends. Selene looked down at the silver bracelets she wore on her wrists. Her fingers flexed, and Robyn knew she was imagining what she could do to the training master with those hands.

"That probably wouldn't be the smartest idea," he pointed out to her, "Satisfying, but not smart."

She sighed, running her hands through her hair. "I know. It's just . . . annoying."

One of their friends chuckled under his breath. "Understatement," he coughed out.

Selene whirled on him, her orange eyes blazing. "DO YOU UNDER STAND WHAT I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH?" She snapped loudly, causing the group to jump in surprise. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT, NO RIGHT TO COMMENT ON WHAT WORDS I DECIDE TO USE!" The offender leaned back, raising his hands in the universal "I surrender" pose. Selene drew a breath and backed off. "Sorry, I guess . . ."

"You were just a bit over-emotional?" Leo butted in helpfully.

"Look who's talking," She replied, returning to her sarcastic default.

Robyn smiled. "Good one."

The week passed, and slowly Robyn came to realize what had bombarded him with his sensitivity toward Selene. He was embarrassed to come to the conclusion that he liked her. After his epiphany, he avoided Selene's eyes as much as he could. He had come to dreading their punishment work together.

At last, that foreboding day came. The two ate their dinner quietly, then reported to the stables. The stableman set them immediately to work. Robyn and Selene silently checked each piece of tack thoroughly. Although he had resisted up until then, Robyn glanced over in her direction, only to catch her looking at him. They both turned bright red and snapped their eyes back to their work.

And so it continued for the rest of the week. Leo couldn't figure out what was going on between them. They had always been so comfortable with each other. He often glanced between the two, hoping for something to clue him in. He tried talking to Selene, a conversation that had gone something like this:

**Leo: "So what's going on between you and Robyn? Have you had a fight?"**

**Selene: "There's nothing wrong. We've just both been really busy."**

**Leo: "There IS something! I've noticed!"**

**Selene: "Well then you epically fail at your noticing, because you're wrong. And I'll singe your hair if you say otherwise."**

**Robyn: **_**(Just walked in) **_**"What's this about singing hair?"**

**Leo: "Apparently, nothing." **_**(Shrugs and walks out)**_

**Selene and Robyn: **_**(blushed) **_**"Uhm, I've got to go." **_**(turned and went opposite directions.)**_

Okay, not the most successful friend to friend talk ever.

Finally, Robyn couldn't stand it anymore. He confronted Selene after practice one day, while they were putting their gear away.

"Look, uhm, meet me in the library tonight?" He asked, staring at his feet. "I think we need to settle some things."

Selene simply nodded and left.

Later that night, Robyn hurried down to the library before lights out was called. He saw Selene waiting there already, engrossed in a book. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uhm, hi, Selene."

Selene, startled, whipped her head around, forming fire in her palm. It went out as soon as she saw him. "Oh, hi."

"Look. I won't beat around the bush," Robyn started straightforwardly. "I . . ."

She put out her hand and cut him off mid-sentence. "I know."

"Wha-? You- you _know_?" He was dumbfounded. Of all things, he hadn't expected this.

Selene nodded. "Me too," she said softly, responding to his unspoken statement.

"What? Really?"

"Are you as dense as a friggin' brick?"

"Uhm, maybe?"

She rolled her eyes. "Boys."

Robyn remained where he was, frozen to the spot.

"So?" She prompted.

He was confused. "So _what_?"

"_So,_ this is usually the time when the boy kisses the girl," she said impatiently, tapping her foot.

"Oh," Robyn felt himself turn bright red. "Right."

So he did.

* * *

**Cute eh? This is not relevant to the storyline and is purely KarmaHope's work, and rather a fantastic piece I might add; I didn't change any of it either. I'm not writing my own chapters right now but after March 4 I'll be updating, hopefully. For those of you who wanted to write something but couldn't think of anything this is a terrific example (don't copy -_-) and I'll still keep accepting them, no time limit. Again email is **blackdragonfreak45 (at sign) yahoo (dot) com. (**yes it is a weird email, i just use it for fanfiction and forum accounts)**

**(P.S. – Studying is going well without having to worry about updating and I thought I'd take a fifteen minute break and post this) **


	17. Heartbeat

**HALLELUIAH! SATs are finally over! I took it yesterday and am hoping for a good score. This is a REAL chapter, written by me. Anyway, as I am piled up to my neck in other work, this was the only chapter I managed to write instead of the triple update I said I'd do.**

**Also for anyone wondering, the ages of the characters as of this chapter are as follow: **_Selene – 13, Robyn – 12, Leo – 12, Liam – 12, Dorian – 12, Matheo – 15, Artis (bad guy that keeps coming into the story) –16, Alden – 17, Felzhair – 16, Alan of Pirates Swoop – 19 (he'll show up eventually )_

**Yes I did do the math; I looked up a Tortall universe timeline and determined all the dates and crap (such a geek)**

**You probably have heard of the tsunami and earthquake in Japan and now they are facing a nuclear meltdown. Let's try and keep those who have lost their lives and families in mind and hope that the survivors will be settled in safely. Try to donate if you can. It is such a horrible ordeal for anyone to go through.**

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_The attractive man extended a hand towards Selene. She took the offered hand and shook it slowly, unsure of what this man wanted from her._

"_I have been waiting for such a very long time to meet you Selene," he said in a deep and husky voice. "I've always wondered what my daughter would look like." Selene's heart nearly stopped and her lungs were temporarily frozen. Was this man, this warrior….her father?_

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Sweet and soothing spring gave way to scorching summer. After a harsh winter, nobody had expected the hottest summer in ten years to follow. Selene hadn't seen this coming either and bitterly thought of the lucky boys who now cooled themselves in the pond on this blistering day. As most nobles had retreated to the their seaside resorts for the season, the castle was eerily empty and Selene no longer had to run numerous errands or wait on nobles at dinner. For this she was grateful as she now had sufficient time to finish her schoolwork and squeeze in extra training. Selene now sat dozing under the shade of an enormous oak on a late June day. The sun's ardent rays poured from the heavens above and not a cloud was to be seen against the azure sky. Bees flew buzzing through the air as hummingbirds took spirited flights; otherwise, the air was still as not even a breeze broke the hot silence that hovered over the land. Selene felt the bark if the tree against her back, rough and rugged, but made no attempt to shift her position. Summer has a curious way of relaxing one's mind; daydreams passed before Selene's eyes with as much purpose and aim as wispy clouds above. Her eyelids fluttered once and closed. Within short minutes the small fire-mage was fast asleep. Kitten, who had joined her that afternoon, placed her blue head on the girl's leg and made herself comfortable for an afternoon nap. Neither was aware of the person creeping in the bush a few feet away.

"Boo!" Matheo yelled and tickled Selene in her sides. She leapt up and let out a small shriek of surprise. Kitten squawked and flapped her small wings in annoyance. The girl's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Matheo, doubled over and holding his stomach from the force of his laughter.

"Matheo! You're dead meat!" Selene scrambled after the blond boy as he ducked behind the tree.

"You'll never catch me, Dragonet!" He teased her with his nickname for her, knowing that she could not stand it.

"Watch yourself pretty boy!" Selene lunged and grabbed hold of Matheo's shirt, still damp from his swim. Matheo fell backwards onto Selene and together they rolled down the gentle slope. Thick green grass softened their fall and with a shriek, they both landed in the stream below. Selene gasped and shook her dripping bangs out of her eyes. Matheo lay next to her in the stream, now overcome with laughter like always.

"Try laughing about this!" Selene pushed Matheo under the surface of the water, pointless as it was too shallow a stream to do any harm. He grabbed her arms and tried pulling Selene under. It ended with Matheo pulling her into his lap. Selene's pulse raced at this close contact, alien contact that she had never before encountered and was momentarily stunned. Matheo grinned at her hesitation and took advantage of it by once again tickling her sides, causing her to squirm in his lap. Selene retaliated by taking hold of the boy's shirt collar and mockingly choked him. Kitten jumped up and down excitedly as the two pages splashed about in the glittering stream.

"Hmm hmm," Selene and Matheo looked up in unison to find Robyn standing on the bank having just cleared his throat. Selene became aware of her provocative position but was puzzled as to what business it was of Robyn's if she wanted to play in the stream or not. Her friend stood there, shirtless and dripping from his swim. His flat and skinny chest was bare to the summer air and he clenched his boots in one hand more tightly than necessary, his knuckles white. His face had a curious mix of emotions etched on it, ones that Selene could not make out. It was with grim eyes that she detached herself from Matheo and stood with legs apart in the ankle-deep water.

"Don't you want to come join us or stand there gaping?" She said more sharply than she had intended. She was furious that Robyn had ruined this moment, furious that he stood there now. Robyn's face flushed bright pink under the sun's rays.

"Well I wouldn't want to spoil your fun." He said angrily. Rarely did anything anger him this badly.

"Congratulations you just spoiled it." Selene spat back at him. "Go bother someone else!"

Robyn looked as if someone had just slapped him across the face. With a huff, he turned and stomped back up the hill. Selene immediately regretted her words but couldn't figure out what had brought on this episode. Matheo was still sitting in the stream as quietly as a mouse, not wanting to endure Selene's wrath, but to no avail. He sneezed loudly and Selene let loose the fury she held back.

"What were you thinking?" She shouted. "I could have gotten expelled if someone else saw that! What gives you the right to come up on me like that?"

"As I recall you were having fun too," Matheo now stood and stripped himself of his sodden shirt. Tanned and toned muscles were revealed. Her heart leapt and Selene lowered her head and looked off to the side, completely disregarding the sudden flash of heat to her face. "Besides," he continued. "Robyn just happened to be there and as you said, spoiled everything…"

"Nothing was ruined because nothing happened!" Selene snapped back. For a moment only the bubbling stream emitted sound. Kitten sat on her haunches, observing the tête-à-tête between the two. Selene's chest was heaving. She became all too aware of her drenched clothing clinging tightly to her figure, generously outlining her new curves she had gained over the last months. She self-consciously crossed her arms over her chest.

Matheo took a step closer, tender compassion showing in his eyes. "Would you really call it nothing?" he asked.

"Non-existent works too," Selene said darkly and splashed out of the stream. She set off at a fast pace, ignoring Matheo's pleads and shouts for her to wait. Selene broke into a run with Kitten right beside her. Her thoughts were in a furious jumble; she didn't know who to be angry at or who to blame. She shouldn't have said what she did to Robyn but he shouldn't have gotten so huffy about it, but then again Matheo shouldn't have snuck up on her. Accusations flew in circles around her mind until Selene completely hated today and ended up blaming the dizzying heat for tampering with people's minds. The heat always had a way of making one crazy. And also, also that feeling, that odd feeling in her chest she had gotten when Matheo had puller her into his lap. What was that? Did people's hearts normally become so fluttery when they came into close contact with one another? No, probably not as most people were not devoid of human contact throughout their childhood. They were also not abused by their mother, mentally or physically. Why must things become so complicated? Selene sighed and slowed to a walk, surprised to find herself near the dusty and empty training grounds.

It was here, last fall, that hurrocks had attacked the innocent squires and pages. King Jonathon's assertion had been correct as something had possessed the winged beasts although Numair's and Evan's study had not led to the identity of the sorcerer. Alanna had set out riding over the kingdom of Tortall to find perhaps one clue but found nothing. Selene had learned the name of the squire who died that day, Heryth, who been a friend of Gabriel and Matheo. Both had mourned the loss of their friend. It was a curious thing for Selene to think of mourning for someone. When she tried to empathize with those who had lost a close one, she felt nothing. No dismal or tormenting pang in her heart, no sudden tears sprung to her eyes and she managed to eat, think and sleep quite well. She felt astonishment perhaps but no heart-wrenching emotion at the thought of death. It was impossible to describe the feelings that kept her from showing true and genuine sympathy for anyone.

Selene leaned against the fence railing and closed her eyes. Was she heartless? And why did it bother her so much? She gazed up at the pale blue sky. Robyn's face when he had found her with Matheo was in her mind. Selene groaned and cursed the damned bloody heat that drove so many people crazy on summer days.

* * *

Late in summer, Prince Roald, heir to the Tortallan throne and his wife, Princess Shinkokami welcomed the birth of their first child. Throughout the kingdom, joyous festivities lasted a few weeks after the official declaration of birth. The king and queen of Tortall were over-whelmed with joy at the prospect of a grandchild. The pages did not miss out on the festivities and with gloom and distain they served through the numerous celebrations and feasts, only taking part in the merriment after they had finished their duties. Selene took note of Robyn's changed attitude. He was proud to be the uncle of the first royal grandchild. He went around with his head held high and sometimes puffed out his chest with an air of all-importance when he passed a mirror. Liam had poked him hard in his stomach when he had caught Robyn posing at one point. Selene had giggled along with Leo and Dorian but she stopped herself after Robyn gave her a sharp glare; although the incident from the stream was now some few weeks old and things had for the most part blown over, their friendship had fundamentally changed and neither had any chance to rectify the wrongs both had done to each other. The innocence of childhood, it seemed, had ended long ago. There had been no bang, no fireworks to announce the end. It had not come quietly in the night to settle on her shoulder in the morning. It instead had crept up slowly over the months and she had pondered long and hard if her childhood had really ever been full of innocence.

Now entering her second year as a page, she was forced to wear small lead bangles stitched into her clothing. The objective was to increase the weights every two months so that they would become used to the weight of armor eventually, the armor of a knight that would one day save her in battle. Lord haMinch, at the prodding of Sir Raoul and subtle threats from Evan, finally released her from probation. Besides the fact that haMinch no longer called her "probationary page" or "probationer" there was no difference in the way he treated her. She continued to be singled out until haMinch realized he could not embarrass her: she was faster than the others in swordsmanship; she could shoot an arrow better than some fourth year pages; she second best in horseback riding as Leo was surprisingly first. She always smiled smugly when she executed her exercises with perfection while haMinch looked on in frustration; clearly, Selene could not be driven from knight training. When Selene defeated Mikhail of Wellam the second year page, haMinch had rubbed his beard in thought as the boys cheered at her success. He was wary of her mysterious parentage and her magical Gift. If she turned away from the chivalrous life of knighthood to god knows what dark forces were out there, Tortall would have a powerful enemy. Still, he gave her the benefit of doubt and had come to trust Kitten's judgment, knowing full well himself that immortals would not choose a mistress that would be easily corrupted.

It was early September and Selene and her friends were enjoying breakfast in the dining hall. It was an unusually loud morning as the training master had declared that all the pages would be going on a short survival trip next week. Selene was looking forward to it as a change of scenery would have been nice. She had gone down to the busy marketplace of Corus a few times since she had arrived in the Capital but had little money to spend on the items sold there. Still, a "survival trip" would be better than staying in the castle.

Gabriel and Matheo came up to the table with trays leaden with food. Matheo sat next to Selene, his usual spot and Gabriel sat across from them. Robyn shot Matheo a dirty look as he drank his orange juice. Leo saw the look and raised any eyebrow in surprise. Leo had wanted to ask Selene about the change between her and Robyn but she had carefully avoided the red-haired boy's questions. She had also hit him with his pillow when she had become fed up his pestering questions.

Mikhail arrived not long afterwards looking sleep deprived as always and only carried an apple for his breakfast. Dorian nervously scooted over as Mikhail sat between him and Leo. Mikhail laid his head on the table tried to catch a few more minutes of rest.

"And I thought Robyn wasn't a morning person," Liam sighed. The rest of the table giggled or made some humorous remark. Robyn slammed his glass on his tray. The table looked up in surprise as Robyn stood.

"I forgot something in my room," he said with a bit of venom in his voice. He took his schoolbag and left the dining hall.

What was Liam's problem? What on earth gave him the right to say something like that? Robyn thought to himself. I first have to put up with Matheo making lovey-dovey eyes to Selene every time they're within fifty feet of each other. As if that's bad enough! Robyn stormed through the hallways, not really caring where he went. Besides, what's so good about Matheo anyway? He was a great jouster and rider and swordsman and swimmer and he had nice muscles…. Robyn kicked a nearby suit of armor in anger. Matheo was everything Robyn was not. It was so unfair that Selene spent so much time with the older, blonde boy. Robyn stopped short. His heart gave a little flutter whenever Selene entered a room. It used to do that when she smiled mischievously in his direction after they had pulled a prank and it was the only times when he saw Selene smile. Now after the afternoon by the stream such smiles had disappeared. Robyn leaned his forehead against the cold stone wall. They were still friends but it seemed that an awkward wall had built up between them. Why did he have to mess things up so badly?

* * *

Selene gripped her lance tightly in her left hand and held the reins of Mystique in the other. The horse pawed the ground and threw back her head with impatience waiting for her mistress to urge her forward. Selene breathed in slowly and exhaled. She centered her lance and touched her heels to Mystique. The impatient horse started forward into a gallop and Selene gripped the saddle with her legs so that she would be steadied. The target, a dummy with a wooden beam stretching from the side from which three rings were suspended, came closer and Selene once again adjusted her lance. As she thundered past, she heard the cluttering of metal against wood and knew that at least one ring had made it onto her lance. She drew Mystique to a halt some yards away and trotted back to the start of the course where Lord haMinch was waiting.

"Only two rings, Renvyle!" He said in a mocking tone. He now addressed her by her family's name, but even so it sounded as if he were insulting her in some way. "The point of the exercise was to get all three of the rings. Do it again." He waved a hand towards the course and Selene whirled Mystique around to face the course again. A servant had replaced the rings on the dummy by now. The early autumn afternoon sun was relentless and Selene sweated horribly in her leather armor. The weighted bangles were heavy against her aching limbs and her stomach hurt terribly. It had started right before she had mounted Mystique and her entire body had felt odd. Now that stomach ache had given way to aching cramps and Selene feared she might get a heatstroke. Still, there was no way she would give haMinch the pleasure of seeing her fail. She steered Mystique into place and once again centered her lance on the target.

"Hayuh!" She yelled and dug her heels into Mystique. The horse leapt forward once again and galloped towards the dummy. Once again they thundered past, her lance catching on something. Once again Selene heard the unmistakable clutter of metal against wood. Selene had to pull on the reins hard to slow down Mystique. She trotted back to haMinch and coolly grinned at the sight of three steel rings glittering on her lance. She pulled up in front of haMinch and watched his eyebrows draw together in thought. After a while, he nodded his approval.

"Only time will tell if it was luck or skill. You all are dismissed for the afternoon." haMinch stalked off the training field and the relieved pages and squires led their mounts to the stables. Selene dismounted and threw off her leather padding; her shirt stuck to her after she had sweated so much. Suddenly something warm trickled between her legs. She shivered in fear. Had she hurt herself? She couldn't exactly pull off her pants in the middle of the field. She hurried to the stables, leading Mystique and pushing other boys out of her way. Selene brushed and cleaned her mare, giving her steed an extra carrot stick, all the while trying very hard not to cry. Matheo noticed her rushed actions and leaned into Mystique's stall where Selene was gathering up the tack.

"Are you alright?" he asked, tilting his head to one side. The sun filtering through the small window above brought out the lighter shades of blonde in his hair.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Selene assured him, not quite sure if she was. Matheo stepped into the stall and stopped Selene as she was about to go out. They were mere inches apart, too close for her comfort.

"What are you doing?" She hissed. "Someone will find this suspicious."

"Something is definitely wrong." Matheo whispered. "And as for the others, well they're too busy and the stall wall is too high." What he said was true.

"Please get out of my way!" Selene's eyes felt very hot and wet. The feeling between her legs was uncomfortable and frightening; a small tear rolled down her cheek.

Matheo stepped back. "Selene I'm so sorry. I only wanted to make sure you're not hurt."

"I just have to go," Selene whispered and hurried out, leaving Matheo in Mystique's stall. Mystique regarded the older boy with large brown eyes.

Matheo threw up his hands in surrender. "I didn't do anything!" Mystique whinnied slightly and whisked Matheo in the face with her tail.

As Selene was running out of the stables, she fell right over Leo.

"Ouch, I'm sorry!" Leo cried. He saw Selene and gasped. "What happened? Are you hurt?" Selene shook her head and ran as fast as she could. Her legs were trembling but she didn't dare stop. She ran past the dining hall, up the main stairs and down numerous halls to finally reach the page's wing. Once safe inside her room she peeled off her pants and gave a little shriek. She was covered in blood! Luckily for her, a maid heard her and rushed into the room. The maid took one glance at Selene and smiled warmly, bringing her a hot bath and bandages.

"Oh dearie, ye're becoming a woman," she explained. "A woman's monthly course starts when a girl is ready to bear children and only stops once she is too old to birth."

"Sounds like a load of horse crap," Selene murmured darkly. She sat down further in the tub so that the water came up to her neck. "Why would it come so early? I'm only thirteen! Children are the last thing on my mind right now. Besides, I don't even want any children." She exclaimed.

"Ah," the maid sighed. "Ye'll change your mind as ye grow older."

"No way in hell." Selene cursed. She had no time to enjoy her bath as she had to report to dinner. She took a look in the mirror after she had dressed. While she felt altered and exposed, outwardly nothing had changed, at least not today. In one year she had transformed from a small, skinny and underfed child to this strange girl staring at her from the mirror. The harsh and demanding lifestyle had caused her to develop muscles and puberty had given her the starting curves of a woman. No longer was she too short for her age as she now stood at five foot five. She tugged at her tunic but no matter what she did her breasts still showed. In a sudden spurt of fury, she threw the porcelain pitcher across her room and upended her dresser. Nothing would stop her from achieving her dream of knighthood!

Fall passed quickly as lessons and schoolwork became harder for Selene and her friends. Their camping trip turned out to be both insightful and entertaining when haMinch fell into the river. The rest of the season passed uneventfully and all of them wished for something interesting to happen. Their wish came unexpectedly true as November came around when an unexpected guest arrived one rainy day, although it would lead to something more evil then they could have predicted…

* * *

…**To be continued! Sorry for mistakes, I was in a rush to get this written! Oh puberty, those times really sucked. I hope you all enjoyed this and please, please review so I'll update faster!**


	18. Souls of Torment

**I'm so sorry I haven't updated sooner, please don't hate me! I barely have time to sleep during the week let alone write a chapter! Without further ado, here is Chapter 16!**

**The ages of the characters as of this chapter are as follow: **_Selene – 13, Robyn – 12, Leo – 12, Liam – 12, Dorian – 12, Matheo – 15, Artis –16, Alden – 17, Felzhair – 16, Alan of Pirates Swoop – 19, Raziel – 28, Alanna - 43_

**November 463, Human Era**

Artis idly tapped his fingers against the saddle horn, cursing his cohort's lateness and cursing the torrential rain that fell relentlessly, even in November. His black horse Charon, neighed furiously and tossed his mighty head to and fro.

"Shh, lasiez-netoria fe tura," He muttered in the forbidden rune language to calm his steed. The black horse dropped its head instantly. Artis sighed and drew his oiled leather cloak tighter around him. There was nothing worse than being out in the rain in such freezing temperatures. If it became any colder it would surely start to snow by nightfall and Artis was obviously not going to spend his night waiting in the glacial dark for one who might or might not even come.

"I am beginning to wonder if this was a waste of my time," said the young man softly. Still, he had waited long enough for this day.

A whinnying horse sounded from further up the road. A cloaked rider atop a bronze mare came into view. The large, dark grey cloak covered the rider, giving no hint to the nature or gender of the rider. A heavy unstrung bow and quiver of arrows were strapped to the rider's back. The distant shape of a sword could be seen through the cloak; the rider came well-armed.

Artis grinned: finally his expected companion had arrived. He placed two fingers in his mouth and let out a birdlike whistle. The cloaked rider abruptly halted their horse and listened again for the whistle. Artis rode out from among the trees and lifted a hand in a lazy greeting.

"I thought you might have never come. I was starting to think that perhaps something absolutely horrible had befallen you, something along the lines of death perhaps."

"I wouldn't have thought to doubt the sincerity of your words if only you had not grinned in such a way." The rider said in a seductive and husky voice. The hood was thrown back to reveal a strikingly beautiful woman. Her hair was brown-black, plaited in numerous braids and held back with a Stormwing feather. Emerald green eyes sparkled maliciously under perfectly arched eyebrows. A straight nose was situated above full rosy lips. With her dancing eyes and slightly parting lips, she had the air of a seducer.

"Oh my little nephew, I have not seen you nor heard word of you since you were no more than five years old. Pray, where have you been hiding all these years? Did you not trust your favorite aunt to take care of you?" The woman laughed lightly, absent of humor as she said these words.

Artis lifted an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. "My father told me stories of you. He explained the quite heartbreaking and touching history between the two of you. From what he told me, I would trust you, but only if you were decapitated, disemboweled and buried at the bottom of the ocean depths. Only then would I might consider it."

"So wise and yet naïve for a sixteen year old," The woman, Raziel, waved her hand dismissively, not taking heed of the obvious insult. Both of them stared at each for a few moments of silence, knowing full-well not to turn their backs on each other for fear of the other stabbing them in the back, quite literally.

Raziel sighed. "You cannot have lived in Tortall these long years otherwise I would have certainly found you. Where have you been?"

Artis urged his horse forward and beckoned for his aunt to follow him into the forest, away from the road. It would not do far the King's Own patrols to accidently stumble upon the two. They rode on and Artis explained, "To soothe your blasted curiosity, I have lived in the underground caverns in the Grimhold Mountains. My father was with me until two years ago. He left one day and hasn't returned. I've managed well enough on my own." He said the last bit sharply as Raziel made a sound to comment. Instead, she smiled.

"Sounds the opposite of what my beloved brother Ozarus would do. Are you sure he never returned?"

"Well perhaps you didn't know your brother as well as you thought." Artis sighed. His father had not been the best of fathers; he had made sure to clothe, feed and provide shelter for Artis but instead of creating a loving bond he only focused on educating exclusively on Artis' skills in magic and any and all fighting arts. Artis' mother had mysteriously died when he was younger and the cause had never been determined.

"Why have you finally decided to let yourself be found?" Raziel asked slyly.

"The same reason you possessed those hurrocks to attack the Capital a year ago." Stunned silence fell between aunt and nephew once again.

"How did you find out?" Raziel snarled, masking her fear. "There was no trace of my magic on those horses and even a mage of Numair's status would not be able to track from where the hurrocks were sent!"

"Quite simple: I scryied you." Artis answered in a bored voice. "You're not the only powerful mage in the family." He winked at her.

Raziel paled. Ozarus had never mentioned that Artis had the Gift. Quite frankly, this complicated things. "How could you have scryied me? You couldn't have remembered my face from all those years ago when you were young!"

"Ah," Artis leaned back his head and grinned. "A good magician does not betray his tricks."

"Tricks, eh?" Raziel snapped.

"Yes, tricks," was the abrupt reply, not without a trace of smugness.

Raziel was having a difficult time keeping herself from unsheathing her sword and severing her nephews head from his neck. He played clever now, indeed she recognized how well her brother had trained his son, but how well would he act under pressure? Could this sixteen-year old _boy _be more powerful than her or know more than her? Perceptibly he was not, she could be certain of it. Raziel looked over to him now, taking in the brown-black hair of their family and his maroon eyes, an oddity all his own.

"Then we do have a deal?" Raziel asked. "Do you promise not to betray me, or anyone involved in this conspiracy?"

Artis sighed with impatience. "Why would I betray the one who will aid me in tracking down Selene of Renvyle ?"

* * *

Far away in Corus, Alan of Pirate's Swoop and his knight master clattered into the courtyard. Horse hostlers and servants edged themselves away from the comforting dryness of the stables and grudgingly greeted the two nobles until they recognized the identity of one of them. They continuously bowed to the knight master but almost completely ignored Alan. With strawberry blonde hair, hazel eyes and an average stature, Alan had no obvious resemblance to his legendary mother. If he had the blazing violet eyes or the coppery red hair the servants would have been falling over themselves to catch a glimpse of him. The rest of his family received all the fame and glory, Crows even his younger brother Leo was renowned! No, it was not Alan they recognized, he thought with bitter disdain, but rather the all so mighty Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, back from another heroic diplomatic journey to Port Legann.

As Alan was about to dismount from his horse, his cloak caught on something on his saddle and he tumbled into a muddy puddle in the courtyard. He let loose an angry string of curses and blushed a deep red. Raoul doesn't have difficulty dismounting from a horse! What an embarrassment this was! The squire of the commander of the King's Own couldn't even dismount his horse! Raoul looked over to Alan and shooed the servants away. With one hand, he easily lifted a dripping Alan to his feet. Alan stared down at his feet as he mumbled a curse to the gods for bestowing such unnatural clumsiness in one. Raoul clapped a hand to his shoulder good-naturedly and called the servants forward.

"If you'll be so kind as to escort Alan of Pirate's Swoop to his rooms I'm sure he would appreciate it." Raoul said in his booming voice. "Now I'd like to see my wife!"

Pirate's Swoop? Suddenly, Alan became the center of attention.

He sighed in content as they entered the warm palace, such a respite after the harsh freezing winds. The servants led him through familiar hallways and stairways to his shared room with Raoul in the squire's wings. Even though Raoul was married to Buri they had separate rooms, although it was difficult to keep them from each other's company. When Alan and the servants were crossing the hallway that led to the page's wing, someone called out his name. As Alan turned, a small figure rammed into him. The older boy fell backwards and looked up into the purple eyes of his younger brother.

"Alan!" Leo bounced up and down on his brother's stomach, never minding the layer of mud on Alan's clothing. Alan groaned and Leo got off startled.

"Oh Alan I'm so sorry! Mithros above what was I thinking, hopping on you like that! You're probably so tired and your clothes are a mess! How did you get so dirty? Did you get into an epic fight with another giant? You probably want to go take a nice warm bath! A really hot bath since it's so cold outside! I couldn't imagine riding for one week out in the freezing weather since I hate the cold. Oh Mother hates the cold too that's probably where I got it from. But you don't seem to have a problem with it do you? It's almost like you're immune to the cold. Just like my friend Selene but that's different because she's a fire mage. She's incredibly talented and mgh!" Alan placed a hand over his brother's mouth. Yes, it was just as he remembered: Leo never seemed to know when to shut up. Alan got a good look at Leo, noting how much taller he was, how much longer his hair was and how much his voice had matured. But yet it seemed he was still the bubbly and lovable Leo that Alan had known before he left for his page training.

"I'm really happy to see you too lion cub," Leo's eyes lighted up at his brother's usage of his nickname. "Yes I'm incredibly tired and want a bath. No luckily I didn't run into any giants but I'm sure the great Raoul wouldn't have any trouble getting rid of it." Now from where was this resentment coming for his knight master? "And who is this Selene you talk of? I caught rumor of a fire mage but though it nothing but mindless chatter by the university students."

Leo jumped up and helped his brother to his feet, happy to know something Alan didn't. "Well it's more than rumor. Her name is Selene of Renvyle and she's a very powerful fire mage. So powerful in fact that she needs to wear silver bracelets so she doesn't drain herself every time she uses her Gift. Her temper is almost as bad as mother's but Selene can be so nice once you know her. And she's really smart and knows all these languages and can ride and swordfight and she's really pretty!" Leo stopped short, thought of what he had just said and ducked his head as a wildfire blush spread across his face.

Alan threw back his head and laughed. "Oh my darling little brother," he teased. "Be careful with a hot-headed girl like her. They tend to make the most trouble."

"Look who's causing trouble with all this mindless gossip," Both boys turned quickly to see Selene standing in the hall, arms crossed and Kitten crotched next to her. She sighed and walked forward, exaggerating every step. "Well aren't you going to introduce me to this wonderful person here?" She causally asked Leo.

Leo was still flustered after his blurt about Selene so Alan took it upon himself to introduce himself. "Hello I am Alan of Pirate's Swoop, Leo's older brother."

"Really?" Selene saw almost no obvious relation between the two. "You couldn't possibly be related to this." She jabbed a thumb in Leo's direction. "Well I hope you can swing a sword better than him otherwise I might never go down to the practice courts again. It's dangerous enough with him!" Leo looked up the ceiling in embarrassment and nervously twisted his hands in the hem of his shirt.

Alan sniggered, not unkindly. "Nothing to fear. I can handle a sword better than most; must run in the family." He winked at Selene. "Although I do believe it skips around." He said, nodding in Leo's direction.

"Oh come on you two!" Leo practically squealed, jumping from one foot to another. "You can't just go on talking on people in front of you as if they weren't even there!"

"That's what we've just been doing, dear brother, don't get your underclothes in a bunch." Alan grinned and patted Leo's head affectionately. He hoisted his bags off the floor and looked over to the servants who were waiting to take him to his room. "We'll talk more later if you would like. For now all I want is a bath!" He waved cheerily to Selene as he walked away. "It was a pleasure meeting you!" As he walked away, Selene twisted the end of her ponytail between her fingers and stared at a dejected looking Leo. As Alan came to the doorway to his room he realized he completely forgot to ask Selene of her fire Gift.

"Why am I always the one embarrassed?" Leo mumured.

"Please, Leo; you're absolutely too adorable not to pick on," Selene said and punched her friend playfully on his shoulder. Leo jerked back as if a shock had run through his body.

"Don't you get it?" Leo's hands curled into fists and his shoulders shook slightly. "I'm so tired of being picked on! I'm so tired of being the butt of jokes or the one that everyone pulls a prank on! Don't you see that I have feelings too? It wouldn't be so bad if it was only once in a while, but for me you all decide it's ok to torment the smallest and weakest kid! Even if you think that just because you're my friends or classmates that it's ok to tease me it's not right! Can't you realize that not everyone is talented or cool? Of course it's so easy being the amazing Selene!" Selene stared on at her friend with shocked orange eyes. "It's so easy being able to throw fire without even trying! It's so easy for you to fight, to use a bow, to do math, to make friends, to be so pretty!"

For the second time that day, Leo clamped his mouth shut. He hung his head low so that his bright red hair covered his eyes and lessened his embarrassment of having to look straight at Selene.

"I'm so sorry!" Leo ducked out of the hallway and sprinted off to a place unknown to Selene. She stood shocked in the hallway, a rareity for her. Had she really heard Leo clearly when he had called her pretty? Had she really been teasing Leo as bad as he made it out ot be? True, she teased him alot but it wasn't out of spite. It was a natural reaction for her, her wit, her somewhat cynical comments. It wasn't like so many other boys, who thought that because they were twice the red-head's size that it would be ok to pick on him, to belittle him. She had suffered through her share of abuse and much worse than anything Leo could possibly fanthom to think of. He hadn't been betrayed by his mother or by his family. He had been born into a priveleged family with a whole horizon of opportunities at his fingertips while she was lucky to even be at the palace.

"I hadn't realized how terribble he actually felt." Selene admitted to Kitten who had watched the proceedings with curious eyes. "But now I know and I won't stand by to watch him suffer through this. No one should go through life feeling absolutely worthless." A soft and thoughtful light came into her eyes, softening her face so that anyone watching might have noticed how years and years of tormenting abuse had washed away. Within a second that light disapeared and Selene again became her determined and hardened self.

"Come on Kitten, we have a lost little puppy to find." With that, she ran down the hallway Leo had previously dispeared.

* * *

Leo entered a quiet part of the castle, away from the hustling and bustling life that defined the Capital. His ragged breathing was amplified by the huge cavarnous space, walls naked and bare of any drapery or decoration. It seemed that this room had hardly been used, a perfect place for repise. Leo had not a second to clear his mind when a bag was suddenly thrown over his head from behind. He immediately kicked and twisted, attempting to loosen his attackers grip, but to no avail. A sleeping syrup had been smeared inside the bag and less than a minute later, he was unconscious.

The attacker noted the limp body and smiled evily.

"You may dismiss your doubts about me, dear aunt," Artis said to an looking Raziel. "I can slit a throat as well as I can kidnap."

* * *

**I've been sooooo busy lately it's unbelievable. I have AP testing coming up soon and need a whole lot of time to study. My other story, _Twisted Choices_, is getting more attention than I originally thought so I'm busy hammering out a complete storyline for that. But in any case, I will update soon (this weekend) and I might have said this before but I do plan to finish this story and the other one so if I don't update for a month don't think I'm not going to continue because I have every intention of doing so. Well now, more drama for Selene and Leo gets kidnapped and we meet Alan of Pirate's Swoop. Yay! Please review, new and old readers alike! Please please do and give a poor AP student some little ray of hope that their work is appreciated!**


	19. Hiding in the Dark

**Short summary of what's happened so far (because I know it's been a while since I updated): Selene of Renvyle, a powerful fire mage and bastard noble child, has come to Corus to begin her training as a knight. She became friends with Robyn of Conte, the youngest prince of Tortall; Leo of Pirate's Swoop and Trebond, youngest son of Alanna; Liam of Nond and Dorian of Glenfinnian. Because of Selene's fire magic, she has a specialized tutor, Evan Tumortis, a water mage who is very eccentric. She makes enemies of Alden of Horganshold, and Felzhair A'hemd. The current training master is Lord Padraig HaMinch was does not like Selene although she excels in her training. After hurrocks attack the training grounds in the first week, Selene meets Alanna and Kel only briefly and Selene promises Alanna to look after Leo. That winter, two people are murdered in the palace and it is found that their blood had been drained for a demon summoning ritual that was never completed. In the summer, Liam and Selene have the beginnings of a "romance" of which Robyn becomes jealous. Artis and Raziel are introduced, both who want to kill the king and are overall "bad guys"; Artis has lived in the Grimhold Mountains in the north for many years while Raziel's origins are unknown. Raziel is Artis' aunt. They kidnap Leo after he runs off, having become upset at Selene and his older brother, Alan who has come to Corus with his knight master Raoul. Now the story continues…**

The door to Robyn's room swung open violently as Selene strode in. The crash of the collision between the door and wall caused a startled Robyn to fall from his chair.

"What in Mithro's name is going on?" Robyn cursed as he jumped up from the cold floor. "And why are you soaking wet?"

"Leo is missing!" Selene exclaimed between gasps, having run to her friend's room from the training yard. Water streamed down her face, rivulets from her hair soaked the carpet and sodden clothes hung heavy on her limbs. "I was out looking for him all over the palace grounds!"

Robyn gingerly rubbed his lower back, sore from falling. "Why would he be missing? And how do you even know that he's gone? For all you know he could be holed up in the library reading a book."

"I checked the library," Selene said impatiently and went over to stand in front of the window. Rain streamed down the clear glass, washing away all evidence of Artis' and Raziel's kidnapping. The gods had seen fit to send heavy rains well into November, resulting in massive flooding in areas unused to such rainfall at this time of the year which caused much grief in villages all over the kingdom. "In fact, the library was the second place I looked, right after I had checked the stables of course. He's absolutely nowhere to be found!" She moaned with resentment, both for herself and the rain which dampened her power.

"I'm missing something here," Robyn announced. "I'm completely lost as to why he would be hiding in the first place."

Selene sighed and leaned her forehead against the window. She hated admitting this, hated admitting to any weakness or wrong-doing.

"It's my fault really," Selene sighed again and faced Robyn. "No, it's not just my fault. The blame belongs to all of us, even you, Your Highness." She added as Robyn started to protest.

"We've been teasing him for so long that we haven't noticed how much of a toll it's taking on him. We consider it friendly play but it's become borderline bullying." Robyn looked down sheepishly at his shoes as Selene explained. Just then, Dorian and Liam walked into Robyn's room.

"Knock, knock," Liam cheerfully called out and as he knocked on the doorframe. "What's with the long faces?" he said, noticing the sullen looks on both Selene and Robyn. "And why is Selene so wet?"

Robyn hesitated only slightly. "Leo is missing."

"Do you know for certain that Leo is missing? He might just be hiding out in the stables again." Liam said dismissively.

"No Liam we're being serious." Selene said. "I looked for him in all the usual places he might go but he wasn't there. I asked the palace staff if they had seen him and they told me he had run down to some of the empty storage rooms and added that they didn't see him leave. He wasn't there either when I went there. I was out in the rain looking for him and went to the edge of the forest with Kitten but we were unable to find any trace. It seems as if he simply disappeared from the palace."

The four friends stood in silence, not wanting to dwell on all the unpleasant possible scenarios under which Leo could have disappeared.

"What if he didn't leave by himself?" Dorian asked in his soft voice. All turned to him. "What if someone took him? What if they kidnapped Leo? The palace staff said they never saw him leave the storage rooms."

"Yes but if the palace staff are as busy as they usually are than they wouldn't have been watching the storage rooms the whole day." Liam added. "They might have missed something."

"Liam makes a good point," as Robyn pointed out. "But surely Leo would have shown up by now. He would have gotten over it and dinner is almost ready. He couldn't have been missing since this afternoon."

"Actually it was right after lunch that he ran off." Selene cut in. "His brother Alan had just arrived and we were talking in the hallway. Both of us were teasing Leo, like usual, and then after Alan left he got upset and ran down the hallway from the page wing."

"Well why didn't you run after him?" Liam exclaimed.

"I did, thank you very much!" Selene snapped back. "Although maybe if you didn't pull those pranks on him constantly he mightn't have felt the need to run off in the first place!"

"Hey, you and Robin tease him constantly," Liam shouted back at her.

"Stop!" Dorian yelled out. Robyn, Selene and Liam looked at him in shock. This was the first time any of them had heard Dorian raise his voice. "Why are we blaming each other? We can stand here all day and debate about it but it won't help Leo. You keep passing the blame onto others and however often you do it still doesn't change the fact that it's not a solution, but a determent from the real problem!" Kitten twitched her tail and rubbed her head affectionately on Dorian's leg.

_A voice of reason at last. _A strange, female voice echoed in Selene's head. She gasped and looked at Kitten who observed her with warm golden eyes. For a moment, those eyes were the ones of ancient wisdom, of untold intelligence. The moment passed and Kitten was once again a dragon hatchling. Selene nervously rubbed her head and resolved to ask Daine about it later.

"Why don't we go ask Evan if there's some kind of spell to be used to find Leo." Dorian suggested.

"Oh finally, a voice of reason!" Selene exclaimed. Kitten up at Selene with a dragon-wary smile. She took Dorian's hand and pushed Robyn and Liam out the door. "Let's go; this is the best idea I've heard from all three of you this year."

(line)

"A tracking spell you say?" Evan murmured thoughtfully. The four friends had gone to Evan's classroom/study/office as Selene had never even considered the fact that Evan might actually have private rooms. Of course it would have been useless as Evan spent much of his time here when he wasn't causing mayhem around the palace so it was convenient that they could always find him when they needed him. Evan's study was a disaster, to describe it lightly. Towers of dusty leather books rose up the ceiling, papers were mishaply piled in corners, grimy bookshelves lined the walls of the room and while empty of books, they were filled with vials of glowing liquids, weapon racks, small unnamed animal skeletons, precious stones and artifacts from every corner of the known world. Two exotic birds with scarlet and gold feathers in a golden-gilded cage twittered their sweet melodies off to the side. A huge chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, candles burning with an eerily blue fire, casting an azure light over the room. In fact, the light might be reminiscent of an underwater world, an association with Evan's water Gift as Robyn noted. Liam and Dorian gazed around the room with wide eyes, taking in the countless details of Evan's astonishing collections.

Evan drifted towards a comfortable looking chair near the fireplace and softly seated himself upon the worn cushion. He stroked his chin, contemplating just how to go about this. "Tracking spells can be tricky. They might work, they might not. Sometimes they do track a person but at times it may lead back to the missing person's room, which doesn't help at all. I knew someone who had just gotten robbed. To find the robber, he found a loose piece of hair that had fallen on the ground that belonged to the thief and so he followed the spell's trail all the way to a swamp. Once there he waded in and found the robber's hut but he was not to be seen. As it was, the thief lived there but was currently away, probably thieving and robbing another part of the countryside. My friend repeated the spell but it only ever led him back to the robber's hut. So you see, sometimes they are not to be trusted and it would be better if you relied on non-magical means such as a bloodhound or perhaps a spy." Evan narrowed his eyes. "You're not thinking about assassinating anyone are you?" he asked.

"No one that I can't take care of myself." Selene retorted. Her answer satisfied Evan.

"Ah well then it would be quicker to kill someone yourself and the risk of anyone else finding out would be lessened. I'm glad you learned something from me after all!" Evan still sat in his chair, legs crossed, hands together and a smug smile.

"Ummmm, we never said we wanted to kill anyone." Liam answered uneasily. "Wait, what have you been teaching Selene?"

Robyn waved a hand to brush off Liam's question. "Please, don't you have anything that might help us find Leo?" Robyn pleaded. "He's our friend and he'd do anything to help us if ever we were in need."

_A phoenix is the most magical beast inside and out of the Immortal Realms. _There, the voice sounded again in Selene's head as Kitten hopped up on a table next to her. _Every single part of its body has some useful property in spells, necromancy and sorcery. A phoenix feather, when used correctly, can find a person for you as well as bring you to their precise location._

"How do you know all this?" Selene exclaimed. "I mean, erm," You might have thought her a madwoman with the stares she was receiving from Evan and the boys. "Well a phoenix feather can track a person can't it?"

"Yes, yes it can. Why didn't I think of that before?" Evan tapped his foot in the air. "Luckily I do have a phoenix in my possession. Two to be exact."

"Really? Where?" Liam looked around excitedly. Spotting the exotic birds in the cage he said "I thought they were supposed to be bigger? And I thought they had a different sound?"

"Some are bigger and they can imitate any sound they want. I happened to ask them if they could play something more soothing than an eagle's hunting cry. The thing with phoenixes is that you must always ask them politely for something, otherwise they bite you. Or if they're feeling particularly spiteful they could breathe fire."

"Really, they can breathe fire?" Liam asked.

"No," Evan stood while Liam looked dejectedly to the side. "Here's a list of what we need," he scribbled some words on a piece of paper and handed it to Selene. "Get those and I'll get the feather."

Selene looked at the "list" compromising of water, black chalk and fire salamander blood.

"I thought fire salamander blood was illegal?" Robyn inquired, reading over Selene's shoulder.

"Oh it is." Evan said, swatting Robyn in the face with a scarlet feather tipped with gold. "Sorcery was so much more fun before they outlawed half the ingredients used in the ancient arts."

"They outlawed it because it was dangerous." Robyn answered glumly.

"That makes it all the more fun." Evan winked at the Royal Prince. "Right then, a drop of salamander blood, mix it with water and a hexagon drawn with black chalk." He placed the phoenix feather in the middle of the circle. "All of you stand around and hold hands." Robyn scrambled over Dorian at a chance to hold Selene's hand. She lifted an eyebrow but said nothing, linking her other hand through Evan's.

"Now, I'll say the incantation and whatever happens don't let go. Skysong," Evan addressed the blue dragon still sitting on the table. "If you want to come with us you'd better hop on Selene's shoulder. We might be needing you." Kitten scuttled over and take her perch on Selene. Evan closed his eyes and started reciting a series of ancient words, ones that Selene had never heard before.

"_Inviez tulmorta umfelia con negfurtoria, lesta omna ostuorti," _The hexagon on the floor began to glow with an eerie red glow and the phoenix feather burst into flame. Power rushed through the circle and Selene found herself unable to breathe as the room around them slowly dissolved into blackness and the very floor beneath her ceased to exist.

She felt herself carried through a long tunnel of light and shadow, of water and fire at an unfeasible speed. The wind rushed across Selene's face and the wild tendrils twisted her hair out of it's neat braid. Beside her, and all around her, were frightening and deafening inhuman screams. It was impossible to tell where they were coming from and she hoped none of her friends were hurt. All too soon, or much later (Selene's sense of time had been warped), the group felt themselves slow down considerably, and suddenly, were dropped into freefall. Now Selene could tell that her friends were screaming, seeing as they were falling right out of the sky, the ground rushing up to meet them.

"Evan!" she screamed in fright. "What have you done?"

Evan was falling not too far from her, looking impeccable as usually, his silvery blond hair streaming behind him. "Not to worry," he shouted back with his never ceasing grin. "We'll land alright."

The ground was much to close and Selene closed her eyes, waiting for the impact. Instead, her body slowed down gradually until she was hovering a few inches over the ground. The spell released her and she thumped to the ground. For long minutes she lay there on her stomach, heart pumping faster than it ever before. Around her, she only heard nervous and shaking sighs of her companions. Her eyes still closed, she took in her surroundings. The ground beneath her was moist and murky and the air was heavy with humidity that wrapped itself around you like a blanket. The smell was absolutely horrid, a stench of mud and decomposition. Somewhere above her, a strange bird called out to its mate and its wings beat the air. A wet, scaly nose was pushed into Selene's face and she couldn't help but giggle. Selene opened her brilliant orange eyes and Kitten looked at her with her cat-iris blue eyes.

_Not what you expected was it? _Kitten playfully tugged at Selene's sleeve. The girl was still shook from Kitten's voice; its mature and composed disposition did not seem to match the small dragon's body, rather it would befit an older dragon.

Kitten blew a stream of smoke from her nostrils. _That's only what you think. _And she switched her tail from side to side.

"You might have chosen a better time to start speaking to me," Selene murmured as she dragged herself up from the ground onto her hands and knees as she still did not trust her shaky legs to support her while she stood after the frightening ordeal. "This is the worst opportunity. We don't have the time to properly discuss this. I don't understand why you can do it or how you know so much. When we get back we'll talk. A lot." Selene added that last bit as an afterthought. "Even if I have to tie you down."

_You mean __**if **__we get back. _Kitten said, then scampered over to Evan. _Take a good look at your surroundings. _Selene looked up for the first time and to her dismay, found that they had landed in a swamp-filled wasteland. She stared incredulously, not recognizing this place from any of her studies. Dorian stood unsteadily on his feet and then stumbled over to Selene.

"Selene, Selene are you alright?" He asked, his brown eyes full of worry. He clumsily pulled his friend upright and they surveyed the swamp together.

"Have you any idea where we are?" Liam groaned. He swept his bangs from his face with a dirt-covered hand.

"Haven't the foggiest notion," Robyn answered.

"Evan," Selene turned to see her mentor observing the odd looking bird perched on a dead tree. "Where in Mithro's name are we?"

"Yes, and why the hell would Leo be here?" Liam said angrily.

"I can't answer either of your questions," For the first time since Selene met him, Evan looked practically shame-faced. "I have no idea where we are, and without the proper supplies, I'm afraid we're going to have to walk until we find our way out of here." If silence could be deafening, than the moments following would have been thunderous.

"You bastard!" Liam shouted and pounced on Evan. He knocked the water mage into the muck and punched him square in the jaw. While Liam may have been bigger and stronger than most boys his age, Evan was a full grown adult and a mage at that. A burst of blue light from Evan's palm sent Liam flying off into a shallow, murky puddle.

"It wasn't my intention to get us stuck in this god-forsaken waste field!" Evan shouted with fury as he stood, his spotless clothes now drenched with the filth of the swamp. "I have no time to deal with bickering boys and will not tolerate being hit in the face. If you want to get out of here, I suggest we stop fighting and focus our energy on finding an exit."

A loud roar was heard off in the distance. The group looked around for the source of the noise, but the thick white fog obstructed their view.

"What was that?" Dorian whispered.

Another roar was heard now, this one nearer than the previous one.

"Evan?" Dorian asked again but Evan did not answer.

"A swamp beast," Robyn answered. "It'll kill us all."

_(line) _

**Huh, so will they die or will they live? And what's up with Kitten? So I know it's been forever since I updated. Life got out of control but the good news is that school ends for me this Friday and I'll be on Summer Break so I can write more. Yay! Also a shout-out to Analelle: I'm trying to make it challenging for Selene and this chapter is a sort of turning point in the story and I'm aiming to make this story a bit darker without taking anything away from the original storyline. Remember that she was abused as a child and that's going to come into play soon. Oh, and if I get enough support, I will rewrite the entire story, keeping all the original elements of the story but expanding some parts, such as Selene's bully and some other stuff. That will be, of course be after I finish this. So, who's happy I finally updated? Stay classy FanFic!**


	20. Monsters from the Gloom

**So I have to admit I had to go back and read my story from Chapter 1 to remember what I was going to write (Hehe I read it while listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. It makes the story 10x more epic). Enjoy! Also, has FanFiction made some changes to the text lately or is it just me?**

* * *

"What was that?" Dorian whispered.

Another roar was heard now, this one nearer than the previous one.

"Evan?" Dorian asked again but Evan did not answer.

"A swamp beast," Robyn answered. "It'll kill us all." His heart hammered against his rib cage and sweat began to form on his forehead. Training had not prepared them for fighting legendary animals and certainly not in a swamp.

They looked all around now and formed a circle so that they could observe every side. The pages unsheathed their small daggers they kept with them at all times, but they knew it wouldn't provide much defense against a beast. They heard the snorting and husky breathing of the wild beast, but still no sign of it could be seen through the thick white fog. The swamp birds fluttered their feathers as they sat on the dead trees of the marsh. Kitten growled slightly and circled Selene nervously.

"Damn this blasted fog!" Evan cursed. "We can't fight this if we can't see."

"Robyn's right," Dorian sniffled. "It'll kill us all!"

"There has to be a way to kill it though," Liam asked hopefully as he peered into the dense mist. "I mean, people obviously have had to run into them before and found a way to defeat them otherwise you'd never hear from them again right?" He dreaded the answer.

"Not exactly," Evan gasped. The humidity was surrounding him and made it hard to breathe properly. "People have come out of the swamp. But they always died afterwards, sometimes days later. The swamp beast has some sort of venom that will kill its prey slowly. It gets into your body and then slowly paralyzes you. It's a very painful death and you usually end up dying of suffocation because the venom paralyzes your lungs. There's no cure!"

"So what we're going to choke to death for days?" Robyn asked incredulously.

"Just don't think about it that way!" Evan groaned as he pulled out the broken and sodden piece of black chalk. "Now we really don't have a way to get back."

"It's going to kill us." Dorian whimpered again.

"Shut up Dorian you're not helping!" Robyn turned on him.

"Well you're not helping either!" Liam shouted at the Prince.

"But we won't let it kill us, will we?" Selene asked gravely. "We're pages of the realm and we represent His Majesty. It won't do if we let this thing bring us down so easily! We'll fight it and triumph!" There was no mistaking the determined glow in her orange eyes. "Remember, this beast stands between us and finding Leo! We shall not let it stop us! Who's with me?" She held out her hand and waited.

"Selene this is hardly the time…" Evan started.

"Who's with me?" Selene asked again, shouting it out now and scaring the swamp birds into flight.

Liam, taking the hint, put his hand over the girl's. "I'm with you – for Leo!"

Robyn and Dorian placed their hands on the pile. "For Leo!" they confirmed.

They all turned to Evan who had an undistinguishable expression on his face.

"Are you in?" Selene asked.

"For Leo!" Evan put his hand on top of Robyn's. Kitten jumped up and down excitedly and fluttered her small wings in support.

"Then let's send this beast to the Black Abyss!" Selene screamed and thrust her dagger into the air.

A loud roar sounded right behind them. They spun around only to come face to face with the beast itself.

"Selene, was this a good idea?" Liam whispered, his voice quivering.

"I , I, don't...really I don't, know." Selene stuttered. Kitten growled in fright, but it came out as a meek meow.

The beast was the most hideous thing they had ever seen. It was easily twice the size of the black bears that roamed the Royal Forest. It had the thick knotted hide of a wild boar and the head of a bull only with a trunk of an elephant and tusks to match. Its tail was long like a cat's but spikes ran down its length. It had the thick legs of a bear but while its back feet were hairy paws, the front feet were eagle talons. It stood there now, ferocious and hungry for a meal. It shifted on its feet and snorted deeply through its trunk which it swung back and forth. Suddenly, it reared on its hind feet and roared again. It stretched out its trunk and squirted out a bright green liquid.

It didn't quite reach them and splattered into a puddle in front of the group. Some of it flew onto the back of Robyn's hand.

"Ahh!" he screamed and jumped into the air. "It burns! Help me it burns! Ow, please oh please it burns!" Robyn started crying as the skin on the back of his hand turned a dark shade of green and started to bubble slightly.

"Everyone stay together and RUN!" Evan yelled at the top of his lungs and threw a bolt of blue lightning at the beast. The bolt blinded the animal which gave the friends enough time to turn and sprint away. Kitten sat perched on Evan's shoulders as they splashed through muddy puddles and stumbled over the uneven terrain. They could hear the beast yowling and crashing around behind them, obviously in pain from whatever Evan had conjured up. Robyn ran with his hand cradled to his chest as tears ran freely down his face. Selene was scared for him, scared that he would die in this god-forsaken swamp. Somehow, she knew that this was not Robyn's time to die and she wouldn't let it happen.

"Evan!" she shouted. He looked over at Selene and she nodded towards Robyn, who, at that moment, tumbled forward and lay still face down.

"Robyn!" Selene shrieked. She ran back to him and ignored the sounds of the charging swap beast. The venom had now spread to the prince's wrist and the green venom could be seen snaking up his arm through his veins.

"Oh Robyn," she moaned. Selene didn't know what to do. Nothing had prepared her for this. Nothing she had learned in the past year and a half taught her how to hold herself together as her friend inched closer and closer to Death's door. When she had contemplated what it was like to mourn the passing of a loved one the summer before, she had not thought that that moment would come to her so soon. She hadn't thought that it would end like this at all. There was no heroic death, no war cries or dead enemies piled around her friend. There was nothing more than dirt and filth surrounding them.

"Selene!" Evan shook her out of her daze. Selene stared up into Evan's dark grey eyes.

"You must get up Selene!" her mentor said as he dragged her up. Evan had cast a spell so that a huge blue wall of water separated them and the swamp beast. It could be heard trying to ram through it with its tusks but to no avail: Evan's magic was much too strong. Selene looked down at Robyn's quivering form and noted that the venom had now reached his shoulder.

"Why is it spreading so quickly?" she whispered, unable to tear her gaze from Robyn. Wasn't it her fault that they were here now? Wasn't it she who set off Leo just this afternoon? Wasn't it she who was responsible for them having to be whisked off after Leo?

"We have to leave him!" Evan shook her again.

"NO!" The boys and Selene shouted in unison.

"We won't!" Dorian protested.

"He's our friend!" Liam added as he pulled out his slingshot. "We'll protect him until the very end!"

"And he's the prince of Tortall! We can't just leave him here!" Dorian dropped to his knees next to Robyn. "Not like this."

"Do you want to live or not?" Evan shouted back in frustration. "I know he's the prince, I know he's your friend but I can't carry him and escape and hold off the beast at the same time. You know there's no cure for the venom that's overtaking his body. He's dead even if we can get him out of the swamp!"

Selene stepped forward. "Then let me hold the beast off!"

"What?" Liam hissed. "We don't let you do that either. I won't stand having both of you killed."

"As your teacher and mentor I can't allow you to do that," Evan said determinedly. "If you want to save Robyn that let me stay behind so that you can have a chance of escaping."

"This isn't open for discussion!" Selene bellowed. "I will hold him off and you get out of here! Evan, mark a trail so I can follow you once I'm done." She ordered and turned her back on them. She unclasped her silver power bracelets and a warm breeze emitted from her. She looked over shoulder at her friends, her orange eyes seemingly brighter and dancing with light. "For your own safety I'd advise you to get your asses out of the way. I can't guarantee I won't burn you." She stalked towards Evan's magical wall just as it weakened from the beast's attacks and shattered. Kitten leaped away in fright and quick as lightning shot under the roots of a nearby tree. Evan staggered after her but she called up a wall of fire so that her friends were on one side and she and the beast were on the other. It was cruel of her to do so but she couldn't let any other people become involved with her mess.

"If you want me, come and get me!' she dared the beast.

The beast roared and reared up on its back legs again once it saw that it had its prey in sight. It tried to spray its venom over the fire-mage but Selene threw up a fiery shield to block it.

"Ha!" She laughed. "You'll have to try better than that to kill me!" She summoned a fireball in her hands and blasted it towards the animal. It landed on the beast's hide and only merely scorched it, inflicting no real damage.

"Selene please come back!" Evan begged. "This is madness!"

"Are you still here?" Selene yelled back. "Try this one for size, you ugly brute!" She threw another fireball and launched it straight at the beast's face. It hit its target head on and the beast let out a shrill screech as the fire burned the soft skin of its trunk. It bucked and thrashed to and fro while emitting the strangest noises Selene ever heard.

"Got you now!" Selene grinned and formed another fireball, hoping that this would finish it off. Suddenly, the beast stopping thrashed and become eerily calm and stood shock still. A dark orange aura surrounded it and then disappeared. The beast's eyes widened and transformed from black to maroon.

"What the…" Selene muttered, confused. The animal charged forward and Selene let loose another one of her fireballs. It hit the beast head on but it showed no sign of stopping. Frightened, Selene tried to run out of the way of the charging animal but her foot became tangled in tree roots and she fell to the marsh floor. The beast lowered its tusks, intending to gorge Selene to death. She twisted out of the way, but not before the beast tusks grazed her side and the animal went spinning into the mud.

Fire! Burning! Never before had she experienced the sensation of a burnt wound but Selene could not imagine it ever feeling as intense as it did now.

"Ahh!" She screeched to the sky and rolled into a fetal position. As her strength waned, her fire wall vanished into slivers of smoke as she lay writhing on the ground.

"Oh no, no, no," Liam screamed. "Not you too Selene!" He raced over to her as Evan cast another one of his water walls between them and the beast. Liam lifted her shirt so that he could see her side. Selene sobbed helplessly and dug her nails into the palms of her hands. The pain was too great! The burning sensation was too intense and it slowly spread across her torso. Liam observed the dark green venom poisoning Selene's body and had never felt so helpless in his life.

"Please don't leave Selene," He clasped her hand. "You and Robyn can't leave us in this mess. Please fight this! I know you're stronger and more stubborn than any beast in Tortall! And remember you said that it's our duty to represent the Realm!"

"But that was before, this happened," Selene gasped through her tears. She closed her eyes and wished that this could all go away, that somehow it would all vanish and she, Leo, Robyn, Dorian and Liam could be sitting on the green lawn of the Palace's pastures and watch the knights gallop by on their horses. When had that sense of peaceful innocence vanished from her life? Oh, it would be terrible if she died now. She would never get her shield and would never be able to find Leo and keep her promise to Alanna the Lioness. After all, hadn't she promised to keep Leo safe?

"Yes," she whispered and opened her eyes.

Liam gasped. "Yes what?"

She struggled to sit up and then grinned crazily at Liam. "I'm going to keep my promise and protect Leo!" Liam didn't quite understand her but knew that Selene would keep fighting. He helped his friend to her feet.

"I need a sword to fight that thing," Selene said. She held onto her side and clenched her hands.

"You can't fight like that," Liam warned.

"Weren't you the one telling me a minute ago that I should fight?" Selene snarled.

"Yes, I meant fight the poison!"

"Screw it!" Selene screamed and burst into orange flame. Liam, Dorian and Evan gasped in shock as an incredible heat emanated from Selene.

"Inconceivable power," Evan muttered in awe. The fire, although seemingly covering every inch of Selene's body, seemed neither to burn her or her clothes. It lighted up the dark gloom of the swamp and grew brighter and brighter until the group had to turn away and cover their eyes. The light grew more powerful and Selene effortlessly intensified the light until it exploded with a flash and the fire shot across the area surrounding her. The beast, blinded by the light, lay on its side and growled pitifully.

When the flames had subsided and Evan uncovered his eyes, Selene stood before him, her venomous wound gone from her body as if it had never existed.

"How did you…?" Dorian asked in shock.

"I told you didn't I?" Selene said. "I would protect Leo and I won't let anything stop me!" She raised her hand into the air. "Gods of flame and shadow, hear my call!" she shouted, not knowing where these words came from. A small gust of wind picked up and circled her feet. Evan smiled, despite the gloom and tugged on Liam and Dorian's sleeves.

"Stand back," he warned.

"What's happening?" Dorian whispered.

"Selene's finally coming into her power." Evan answered. "Get back to Robyn and find some wormwood if you can. It will help soothe the pain and slow the spread of the poison. Quickly!" he added and Dorian and Liam scampered away. Meanwhile, the wind had picked up and a whirlwind was surrounding Selene.

"I humbly call upon these powers greater and mightier than myself. I ask for the strength to protect and will to inspire fear in my enemies! Grant me what I wish and let me now receive these gifts for which I ask!" For a moment nothing happened. Then, a bright flame burst forth from Selene's outstretched hand and a flaming sword appeared. Selene clasped it tight in her hand and assumed the fighting stance that Matheo taught her only months before.

"All right beasty, show me the best you got!" Selene challenged the boar monster as it rose to its feet and shook off the grime of the marsh. The thick white fog had cleared some

"You're not doing this alone," Liam stepped up beside her.

"I won't let you risk your life like this." Selene snapped. "Besides, you don't even have a weapon."

"I have my slingshot." Liam held up his little weapon that paled in comparison to Selene's fire sword. Selene lifted an eyebrow. "You get its attention and I'll try and circle around so that while you fight, I can distract it from a different side. You can attack it easier."

Selene shook her head. "That's too risky Liam. It should be me and Evan taking on this beast."

"Liam does have a good point," Evan came over and pushed his silvery blond hair out of his face. "It'll take more than just me and you. If you can confuse it Liam, Selene and I can manage to find its weak spot." While they planned the beast raged outside Evan's wall. It renewed its vigorous attacks and the wall shattered once again.

"Damn it all!" Evan leapt to his feet. "Selene, Liam; let's end this once and for all!

"Right!" They answered. Liam grabbed a handful of rocks and edged off to the side, waiting for his chance.

"Hey ugly!" Selene shouted. She twirled her flaming sword in her hand while the beast snorted and clawed the ground with its two front feet. "Let's dance!" The swamp beast snarled and charged forward. Selene rushed it head-on and at the last minute, dodged to the right. She slide across the muddy ground as the beast dashed past her and sliced its side. Dark red blood stained its hide as the animal groaned out in pain. Its maroon eyes glinted with inhuman rage and faced Selene, ready to charge her again. A stone bounced off its backside. The animal whirled around, lashing out its spiked tail. Liam stood there, and loaded another stone into his sling.

"That was for Robyn!" He yelled. "And this one is for Leo!" He shot another stone at the beast and hit it straight in its left eye. The beast reared again and thrashed its feet, shaking his huge head side to side. Evan took advantage of the situation and mumbled a quiet spell under his breath. A glowing blue orb appeared in the palm of his hand. He threw it at the beast and it exploded on the beast's hide. Blood splattered the three fighters and Selene charged the beast now, careful to avoid its failing tail. She leapt onto the beast's back and brought her sword straight down into its spine.

The beast screeched and bucked as blood from its wound seeped through Selene's boots and sprayed her body. She tried holding onto her sword to avoid being thrown off, but the animal was going wild with pain. Her bloody hands tore the sword out of the spinal cord and rolled off the beast.

Too late did she see the deadly tasks coming her way. Too late did she move. Evan dashed forward as soon as he saw Selene roll off. He tried shoving Selene out of the way in a desperate attempt to save her however he too, was too late.

Evan howled in pain as the beast's tusk stabbed him in the lower back. He clenched Selene tightly against his body and fell halfway on her. Selene was twisted oddly in his arms and couldn't move as the beast drew back and attack them with its tusks again. She reached out to grab her sword before the beast could get to her. The beast stumbled, as its body could no longer survive from its horrific wounds but whatever magic that possessed it was stronger than the animal's will. The beast's good eye glowed with maroon light and blundered pathetically towards Selene. As the beast came over Selene and Evan sprawled in the mud, Selene thrust her sword into the belly of the animal and pushed upwards with all her strength. The sword broke through the tough skin and blood rained down on Selene and Evan, who was passed out in her lap. The beast brayed and squealed, trying desperately to dislodge the sword. It slashed out frantically with its front claws, now creating a new danger for Selene and Evan who were both in no shape to move to escape the beast.

"Selene!" Dorian cried out. Selene looked up to see the beast's claws coming right at her! There was nothing left to do now, so Selene released her hold on the sword and hunched down over Evan, bracing herself. Searing pain tore through her back as the animal's talons slashed across her back. She screamed an inhuman scream and distantly heard Liam and Dorian shouting something she could not decipher. Blood rushed through her wounds and poured out into the marsh. The venomous wound she had received earlier was nothing compared to this pain! Thousands of white hot knives were running themselves over her back again and again and Selene could not keep ahold of her power any longer. She closed her eyes and groaned and screamed with Evan in her lap.

"Liam!" Dorian shouted. Liam turned to the small boy kneeled down next to Robyn's motionless form. "Get the sword and finish it!" Liam nodded and sprinted to the beast. The beast now stood a ways off from Selene and could barely stand.

"I'll show you what happens when you mess with my friends!" Liam shouted. He tore the sword out but as Selene collapsed into unconsciousness, her power waned and the sword evaporated into thin air. Liam gasped as the beast trembled horribly and its bowels emptied from its stomach. The beast stumbled forward once more, then tumble to the ground in a bloody heap.

"Selene! Evan!" Liam screamed as he pulled off Evan from the girl. The venom had spread over his back and his breathing as shallow and forced. Liam called over Dorian for more wormwood and shook Selene.

"Come on, just wake up please!" Liam begged. Dorian rushed over, wormwood in hand. Kitten crawled out from under the tree she had been hiding under. "Some help you were!" Liam accused her.

"This stuff won't stop it, but it really slows it down." Dorian explained frantically.

"Whatever we can do to help," Liam mumbled. Dorian pressed strips of wormwood on both Selene and Evan. The venom was halted in its tracks. Dorian and Liam at each other.

"What now?" Dorian whispered.

Liam shook his head in bewilderment. He couldn't believe how fast the situation got out of control. With Robyn, it had seemed desperate but manageable. After all, if they could escape the swamp and make their way back to the castle than the healers there surely could have found a cure. But now, with both Selene and Evan poisoned and unconscious, there was really nothing they could do. Dorian wasn't a mage, neither was Liam.

"Look Liam! Look!" Dorian pointed excitedly at Evan's back. It was hard to make out with the beast's blood smeared all over but Liam was certain that the venom was receding!

"What in the world?" Liam muttered. It stopped when it reached the punctured skin from the tusks, on which there was no blood. No blood?

"Liam!" Dorian shouted enthusiastically. His voice seemed out of place in the dark marsh. "It's the blood! Oh the beast's blood is the antidote to the venom! Quite, we have to get some of this to Robyn!" Dorian plunged his hands in the thick puddle of blood spilling from the beast and scooped it up, running over to Robyn. He poured it onto his friend's infected arm. Immediately, the venom receded back to the original wound. Dorian smeared more blood over Robyn's hand and the venom altogether vanished from sight. Robyn moaned and Dorian perked up brightly.

"It's working! Robyn will live!" Dorian clasped Robyn's hand to inspect it, happily noting that Robyn's skin returned to it normal color. Now it looked as if Robyn had only received a minor burn. "Get some of that stuff on Selene! She won't be able to burn it out this time." Liam nodded and then hesitantly dipped his hand in the beasts blood. It was disgusting to say the least.

"Blah," Liam groaned but smeared onto Selene's exposed shoulder. As he held her up, he remembered that the poison was not the only wound she had received from the beast.

"Dorian!" He shouted. "Selene's back is completely shredded!"

Dorian rushed over to him and gasped when he saw Selene's back. The claws had left three graze across her back. Thinking quickly, he took off his tunic and pressed it against the wounds, hoping that some miracle would occur.

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**Phew, they live on! But where's Leo? Review and find out! (Four more reviews until I break one hundred. Make a FanFic author proud please?) I know some of you really like this story! Also on a side note, I started yet _another _SL story, this time taking place during the Salem Witch Trials. I'll update this one every three days. Sounds fair yes? Ok Review!**


	21. Swamp Surprises

**The ages of the characters as of this chapter are as follow: **_Selene – 13, Robyn – 12, Leo – 12, Liam – 12, Dorian – 12, Matheo – 15, Artis –16_

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"There's not enough wormwood around here to treat this wound," Dorian murmured thoughtfully as he observed Selene's wound in greater detail. The tunic he was attempting to use as a bandage was already seeped with blood. He tossed the useless garment aside. "Take off your tunic and turn it inside out!" Dorian ordered. Liam nodded and stripped it off, offering it to Dorian who in turn held it against Selene's back. Liam only stared in amazement at the small boy who had been crying in fear only less than a half an hour ago, who now had figured out the antidote to the beast's venom and was taking charge in caring for his friends' wounds.

"Hang on, what about Evan?" Liam rolled the blonde man off of Selene to better inspect Evan's side. "Oh no!" Liam rolled his head and closed his eyes. "Not Evan too!"

Liam unceremoniously flopped Robyn onto his stomach and wrestled off the tunic. He then folded it in half and wrapped it around Evan's side, for the water mage had not come out of the fight unscathed.

"Is it bad?" Dorian asked fearfully.

"I can't tell with the blood all over the wound." Liam answered. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his forearm and sat back with his legs folded under him. He was no doctor and the most he could do was to stop the bleeding.

"At least the hard part is over," Liam said, trying to be optimistic. He glanced over at the dead swamp beast, flies now ascending onto its carcass for a meal. "We don't have to worry about that thing gorging us to death."

'No," Dorian disagreed. "The hardest part now is how to keep Selene, Evan and Robyn alive." He pressed Liam's tunic to Selene's back, still surprised at how warm her normal body temperature was. "Selene and Evan were both extraordinarily lucky that their wounds weren't too deep or they'd have no chance of surviving out here. It is true that the poison is completely out of their system but now if they don't receive medical help then I don't know what to do." Dorian looked up to the sky to see if the sun was visible however nothing could be seen through the marsh fog. "Liam I don't want to admit this but without the help of a healer, Selene and Evan might get an infection, or they'll bleed out."

"Just try not to think about that right now," Liam clenched his hands into the ground and let his blonde hair fall into his eyes. "If we give up now, then we might as well hang ourselves on that tree right this minute. While we still breathe we still have a chance of getting out of here. If we don't give up then we have a chance of finding Leo!"

"Yes, Leo is counting on us." Dorian nodded affirmatively and flicked off a beetle from his leg.

"Damn, and we can't even tell which way is north," Liam groaned in defeat. "If we could see the sky then perhaps we'd have a chance of escaping." Dorian and Liam sat in silence for a little while. Although they were aware that their friends' lives lay in the balance, neither of them cared to admit that even if someone at the Palace had noticed they were missing, they had no way of knowing exactly where they were and possibly no way of knowing how to reach them. How quickly this whole mess had escalated into complete and total chaos! Now, they barely had the strength to keep their hopes up that someone might recue them. Add to that fact that Leo was still missing and they had no way of helping him at all, and no way of knowing that he was still alive. The swamp seemed like a dead end to them, quite literally. If another beast happened to wander around, well, they hadn't any weapons to defend themselves. Liam shuddered at the thought and glanced over at Robyn. The sight made his throat clench in fear.

"What's wrong with Robyn?" Liam asked in fright and Dorian looked over at the prince. His breathing had evened out and only looked as if he were fast asleep, although there was no mistaking the redness of his cheeks that only marked the onslaught of a fever.

"Damn this all!" Liam cursed and leaped to his feet. He stalked over to a little patch of wild plants and began madly looking through them.

"Liam what are you doing?" Dorian meekly asked. It seemed now that Liam was turning into a madman, for he crawled wildly through the patch of waist-high plants.

"I'm trying to find another plant," Liam panted. "I can't remember the name of it but it was supposed to help with infection and fever and I do remember what it looks like. Do you know the name?"

"No I can't remember much more then wormwood and aloe." Dorian frantically racked his brain, trying to recall anything else that might be of any help. By now, Selene's wounds had lessened in bleeding, but Dorian was afraid to relieve the pressure else Selene would bleed to death. He threw Liam's tunic to the side, and with reluctance, untied his shirt and took it off, exposing his bare chest to the hungry swamp mosquitos in search of prey.

_Still, _he reasoned. _A fever can be cured more easily than death._ He tore it in half and placed one strip on Selene's back and the other strip on Evan's side. Dorian thanked the gods that the beast's tusks hadn't sliced open Evan's stomach; otherwise it would have meant a most painful death, one that could have been stretched out for a week.

"Did you find anything?" Dorian shouted out to Liam.

"Nothing yet except some aloe!" Liam shouted back.

Dorian sighed. He crawled over to Robyn to feel his forehead. It was burning hot and perspiration had formed on his forehead. Beneath his hand, Robyn stirred. Dorian gasped as Robyn's eyes fluttered a few times and then finally opened.

"Dorian?" Robyn asked hoarsely. He squinted better so that Dorian came into focus. Robyn coughed horribly and then rolled over onto his side and heaved out the contents of his stomach. Dorian's own gut flopped in disgust and he turned away, avoiding the sight but not the vile stench.

"Hey are you alright?" Liam jumped over a fallen log as he heard the sound of vomiting. "Robyn!" He gulped. "Oh thank the gods!" he said as Robyn wiped his mouth and sat up.

"You should lie back down, you know." Dorian advised.

Robyn only shook his head. "No, I shouldn't. Not when we have a mission to complete."

"I'm afraid that mission had been put on hold for now." Liam hesitated to explain any further.

"Why? There's a rampant swamp beast and Leo is still missing!" Robyn stated with vigor, however weak his body was at the moment was completely irrelevant to him. "We started out with a purpose and we can't just throw it out the window! There's…" His eyes widened in fear as he caught sight of Selene's bloody body and Evan's still form laying only mere feet from him.

"They're not, oh gods, please," Robyn sobbed. "Please don't let them be dead!' He turned to Liam. "What the hell happened when I was unconscious?" Liam glanced at Dorian for help, who could only shrug his shoulders and reverted his attention back to Evan and Selene.

"We, well mostly Selene and Evan defeated the swamp beast," Liam began. "The poison from the beast rendered you conscious for a while. The beast wounded both of them pretty badly but it could have been worse. They are alive, but maybe not for long if we can't get help." Liam sighed and hung his blond head in defeat. "I wish it could have ended differently, I wish I could have been more help. Dorian found out that the blood was the cure for the beast's poison after, well after Evan was infected and his blood was mixed with the animal's." He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted from foot to foot. "Sorry Robyn we had to use your tunic." He said as an afterthought.

"So that's all there is then?" Robyn said softly, his head low and his black bangs hiding his eyes.

"What do you mean that's all there is?" Liam demanded. "In case you haven't noticed, three of us could have died today, very well Dorian and I as well! Do you want me to give you a second to second account of what went down and who did what?"

"Well why didn't you do more?" Robyn got to his feet, rather unstable as if his legs could not fully support him. Dorian made a feeble attempt to make him sit back down, but for whatever reason, Robyn was enraged.

"You mean to tell me that you let Selene go head on with a beast and you didn't try to stop her?" Robyn demanded. "No matter how strong she thinks she is, you can't just let her

"She wouldn't listen to us you idiot!" Liam shouted and clenched his fists. "She threw up a wall of fire to stop us from intervening! She was about to give up her life so that Evan could carry your sorry ass out of the swamp because we wouldn't leave you behind! You would have been a goner if she hadn't the guts to fight."

"What about you? What did you do?" Robyn pressed Liam. Although Liam generally was even mannered, the tempest events had brought him to a breaking point which he never knew. And now, with Robyn unjustly accusing him of their current position, he was in no mood to let this slide and put up with Robyn's nonsense.

"Oh right, let's talk about all the glorious fighting you were doing when you were out cold!" Liam spat back. "I guess it wasn't enough to keep this from happening," Gesturing widely to Selene and Evan. "So perhaps his Royal Pain in the Ass might like to reconsider his words and thank his lucky stars that every one is still alive! I'm sorry you can't run back to you Royal Father and complain and have daddy fix everything with a wave of his hand!"

"You take that back right now!" Robyn demanded. He stumbled forward towards Liam but fell on his knees and bent down as he collapsed into a fit of coughs.

"See? Even now you're completely useless!" Liam pointed out hotly.

"No I'm not!" Robyn lunged forward, still coughing, and caught ahold of Liam and drove him to the ground.

"Why! You little, mrrghh!" Liam screamed as Robyn's hands curled around his neck.

"Don't you ever call me useless!" Robyn warned in between weak coughs. "You're not one to talk."

"Shut up you!" Liam grunted. "You're always going around with your inflated ego and sense of self-importance!"

"Please you two stop this fighting!' Dorian begged from the sidelines. Liam and Robyn both ignored him. Liam had grabbed Robyn's wrists and was trying to loosen the boy's grip from his neck, not particularly difficult as Robyn was too weak to do any real harm. Liam pushed the prince off of him and Robyn rolled into the mud. Enraged, he staggered up to his feet as Liam stood and faced him.

"I do know that you hated Dorian when Leo befriended him," Liam accused his friend, as Dorian looked on with his mouth open in surprise. "I could see it in the way you acted around him. You couldn't face the fact that someone else could be a better friend to Leo than you. You didn't want to be replaced. That was nothing more than being selfish! You teased him and didn't think that it would affect him did you? "

"You've got it all wrong! You're incredibly stupid!" Robyn shouted back. "You have no idea what you're talking about! Leo is like a brother to me!"

"What has that got to do with anything?" Dorian stood now and threw his hands in the air. "I don't care what you might have thought about me before Robyn, but now is hardly the time to discuss this!"

Robyn bared his teeth in frustration. "No, don't interrupt; we're settling this once and for all!"

"Shut up," Selene moaned. All three boys whipped around to see their friend's eyes flutter open as she lay still, looking up at the obscured sky.

"Selene!" Liam exclaimed. They rushed over and dropped down next to her. Robyn started another coughing fit so Liam pushed him out of the way.

"Hey, say something else." Dorian practically demanded Selene.

"Shut up, or I'll set you all on fire." It was barely a whisper but still a threat. Dorian and Liam exchanged dubious looks.

"And why is that?" Dorian asked. Robyn was still bent over behind them, coughing violently.

"Because you're all stupid." Selene accused them.

"Well no need to worry then," Liam exclaimed brightly and clapped his hands. "If she's threatening us then I doubt she's anywhere near death."

"My, my, nowhere near death? I beg to differ." A drawling voice sounded from around them. Liam looked about the clearing, but no one was to be seen. Dorian unsheathed his little hunting knife and handed it to Liam.

"Who are you?" Liam demanded. "Show yourself!"

"With pleasure, now that your companion has awakened." Artis hummed as he stepped out from behind the dead tree. He wore black leather boots up to his knees and black pants, held up by a belt from which a hand and a half sword hung. He wore a plain black leather tunic and black shirt with no insignia to identify him by. His clothes, however, were strangely absent of any muck and his boots were spotless, which meant that he had not walked through this swamp. His dark brown hair came down to his shoulders to frame his handsome face and maroon eyes, which glinted evilly. He had crossed his arms and wore a smug, triumphant smile on his face.

Liam shifted on his feet and stood protectively in front of his friends while Dorian stood beside in a fighting stance, fists raised, although it would do little good. Selene tried to lift her head to see the going-ons.

"What's going on? Who is that?"

"How horrible of me, forgetting my manners." Artis chuckled. "For now you may call me Artis of the Grimhold Mountains. I have a proper title but I don't wish to disclose that."

"Alright that could be a lie and that doesn't explain why you're here." Liam snarled. "What's your purpose?"

Artis examined his sleeve to draw out the moment. "I do believe you're in search of your friend Leo, so I might ask why you've gotten yourselves stuck in the middle of a swamp." He turned his hand and caught sight of Evan, laying on his good side. "Ah, that explains why."

"How do you know we're looking for Leo?" Dorian tried to make his voice as threatening as Selene's or Liam's but the question came out in a frightened and shaky voice.

"Oh the little lamb talks. How adorable!" Artis laughed lightly. He took a few steps forward.

"Don't come any closer!" Liam slashed the hunting knife in the air in front of him. "I'm warning you now!"

"You wouldn't think about using that on me now would you?" Artis cocked an eyebrow. "Let's rid you of that useless thing." He waved his hand in a swift motion and the knife flew from Liam's hand to thud into the tree up the hilt. Liam gasped as if someone had just burned him.

"If you're going to kill us then kill us already!" Liam screamed. "Stop messing around with us!" He heaved in and out, not knowing where this rage was coming from.

"I wouldn't dream of killing _you,_" Artis sighed. "I've no interest in little boys. I'm more interested in the girl laying there."

By now, Robyn had recovered and upon hearing this, sprung upon Artis, catching him by surprise. For the second time that day, he tackled someone to the ground and sat upon their chest, however instead of choking Artis as he had done to Liam, he curled his hand into a fist and punched Artis squarely in the nose. While Artis may have been a mage, he was still a human and not immune to pain. He had the wind knocked out of him as he slammed onto the ground and hit his head, while Robyn landed on his chest. A second punch collided with Artis's face, then a third, fourth, fifth. Robyn kept going until Artis grabbed his wrists and with a bright orange light, threw Robyn into air. The prince had been thrown further than was humanly possible and landed hard. He rolled limply over a few times as he lapsed into unconsciousness, the fever still burning through him.

"No!" Selene squeaked, unable to make any other noise.

"You'll pay for that!" Liam promised. Artis sat up on his knees, blood flowing freely from a broken nose. He looked up just in time to see Liam's foot colliding with his jaw. Artis grabbed Liam's ankle as he fell backwards yet again and using his orange Gift, he twisted sharply until Liam's leg cracked.

"Ahhh!" Liam shrieked in fury as the broken bone of his lower leg tore through his skin. He screamed and cried uncontrollably, trying not to move so not to disturb his leg but it was impossible: the pain was too much.

Dorian whimpered at the sight of the bloody bone poking through and itched to rush forward to help his friend, but Artis had stood up and Liam lay next to him.

"This is what happens when you cross me boy," He spat on Liam's face as the blonde boy sobbed only harder, wishing for the pain to stop. Artis nudged Liam's broken leg with his foot and brought another round of shrieks from Liam. "Oh what a glorious sound!' Artis declared. "It has been so long since I have heard such beautiful moans of pain!"

"You're sick!" Dorian sniffled. "Stop that!" He wasn't a hero and didn't know how to handle this sort of standoff. He didn't have the courage to fight Artis, for fear that Artis might decide to do the same to him.

"Enough." A weak cough demanded. Selene struggled into a standing position, her shirt in tatters and her bandage falling off her back.

"No, Selene you're not strong enough." Dorian pleaded.

"Shut it," Artis growled. With the blood seeping onto his clothes he looked like a murderous outlaw. "I think this doesn't concern you." Artis stuck out his hand and the ground around Dorian's feet glowed orange. Thick, leafy vines sprung up from murky ground and wrapped themselves around Dorian's body. He struggled wildly as they continued to engulf him, until only his eyes, nose and mouth were free from the magicked plant.

"I think that will hold you for a while." Artis demurred with a grin. He turned his attention to Selene. "You're a very determined young girl aren't you, Selene of Renvyle?"

"How do you know my name?" Selene snapped.

"I know many things Selene, as well as the reason for you leaving the convent in the City of the Gods." Artis now paced around her and her fallen friends in wide circles. "I know about your knight training, your teachers, your rather special Gift and, eh, a certain little love affair with a certain Matheo of Nond."

"It's not a love affair!" Selene retorted, forgetting the gravity of the situation for a second. "There's nothing going on between us!"

"Ah yes, denial." Artis chuckled once more then became serious again. "But I didn't lure you out here to talk about your personal life. A very special person has taken interest in you, and I might confess, I've become quite entranced by you as well."

Selene's mind reeled, not able to take this all in. She had lost a significant amount of blood and needed to calm herself down immediately, or else she'd pass out and never awaken again. Still, this man, no, older boy more like, entranced her as well.

"So you know all that. Great for you." Selene panted. "Now tell me how you know all this!"

Artis opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by the appearance of a spiraling black hole above him.

"Damn it!" He cursed. "Fine, I'll make this fast!" He whipped out his hand and a half sword. "You're coming with me, now!" A yawl and clamoring claws made Artis turn around just as Kitten launched herself at his leg. Now it was Artis's turn to scream in pain as Kitten latched on not just with her fangs but with her claws as well. She tore into Artis's flash as the black hole widened above them. Selene's strength gave out and she fell heavily onto her hands and knees. Blue and violet light intermixed with the black hole and the wind picked up.

"Stupid animal!" Artis screeched. He shook his leg wildly until Kitten released her hold on him and Artis crawled a distance away.

"You and your friends win today Selene!" Artis growled. "But next time, I will show no mercy!" Selene struggled to stay conscious as she watched Artis spit out an incantation. He lifted his hands upwards to the sky and an orange streak of lightning struck down onto the very spot where he kneeled. When the light had subsided, Artis had disappeared. In his place, lay a red-haired boy. A very familiar, red-haired boy.

Selene rejoiced and desperately tried to keep her eyes open, but to no avail. She felt herself lean forwards until once again she was laying in the mud. The cool filth was such a relief to her hot skin and she sighed with relief.

"Selene?" She heard someone far off say. "Selene, it's Leo!"

"Oh Leo," She moaned into the dirt. "I'm so sorry." With that, she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

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**I can't tell you how bad I feel about not updating. I had some serious writer's block, and then my internet decided not to work. I promise that the next chapter will be up sooner. Oh and thank you for all the wonderful reviews and everyone who continues to read my story. And no, this is not the climax. There's still about twenty-five to thirty chapters until the end.**


	22. Forgiveness and Regrets

**Few answers to reader questions: I thought Protector of the Small series should have ended around the time of the ending of the Tricksters books. Or maybe I judged wrong but anyway this story take place after the war with Scaran and Aly is happily married to Nawat Crow and back in Tortall. And yes, when I said fire mages were rare, I specifically meant mages who only specialized in fire. Leo is still the same, nothing changed about him. So everyone is probably wondering about Roger…well I won't answer anything else for now :D**

**The ages of the characters as of this chapter: **_Selene – 13, Robyn – 12, Leo – 12, Liam – 12, Dorian – 12, Matheo – 15, Alden – 17, Felzhair – 16, Alan of Pirates Swoop – 19, Raziel – 28, Artis – 16, Alanna – 43_

"You miserable bastard!" Raziel spat. Artis glared at his aunt then proceeded to toss his cloak in her arms as if she were a coatrack.

"Hang that up will you?" Artis asked too sweetly.

"Why on earth did you return the Lioness's son to them?" Raziel demanded. She threw the cloak on the ground. "We were supposed to use the boy as bait and then kill the little fire brat once she ran after him! Like we planned!"

"Well yes, it wasn't my fault they magicked themselves half-way across the country into the middle of a marsh," Artis collapsed into a cozy armchair and closed his eyes. Quite honestly, his aunt was far too impatient for this line of work and briefly considered leaving her to her rash ways, as it was only a matter of time before she slipped up without his help. "It also gave us a chance to let loose one of our experiments. They actually believed it was just a mere swamp beast and when they tell their elders, they'll just believe the pages had gone mad with fear and made up a monster. They don't know that a swamp beast is really just a venomous snake, nothing more."

"Surely now you understand my reasons for combining lifeforms?" Raziel snapped. "You can take the most powerful assets of any animal and combine it to form a newer, more powerful animal."

"Yes, I'm sure you'd receive numerous recognitions if you went public with your research." Artis said sarcastically. "Yet the fact remains that Selene and her little friends managed to kill a beast that you said was unstoppable. Surely that goes to show how strong she is."

"Yes, but wouldn't it be better to kill her before she gets any more powerful? You saw what she conjured! Not even my father had that power!" Raziel exclaimed.

"Oh yes, let's talk about your father, my grandfather," Artis drawled. "Where did his lust for power leave him? Dead in a grave!" In a flash, Raziel drew her sword and pressed the tip to Artis's neck.

"Don't you think of insulting him, boy," she hissed. "Without him you wouldn't even be here." Raziel sheathed her sword and turned away from Artis. "While you may be useful to me now, my sweet nephew, don't forget I managed to survive long enough without you!" Raziel then swept out of the room, banging the door shut behind her.

Artis picked up a cup of tea that was sitting on the table next to him. "Yes you have managed to survive, but when I'm done with you, you'll be no more."

* * *

**November, Corus**

"So," Selene stared down at her opponent. "We meet again you bastard."

"Uh, Selene, are you threatening your glass of milk?" Leo asked.

Selene looked up from her milk and gave Leo an incredulous look, as if she couldn't believe that he was asking her that.

"Of course, there's no one else that'd I have a reason to threaten, well, no one in this room of course." She gestured to her group of friends gathered in her small room in the infirmary wing and winced in pain as she stretched her back; it still smarted and bled slightly. She had been in here for only four days, three of which she had been asleep, sleeping off the effects of her battle with the swamp beast. It seemed that every time she took off her bracelets to maximize her power, it was always when she was under attack, like the hurrock incident just last year in the fall. She knew that if she accidently overused her Gift, she could fall into a coma from which she might never awaken, or possibly even die. Still, she had saved countless people both times and never would, regret her decision. Besides, if she couldn't utilize all her resources then what kind of knight would she be?

As it turned out, the pages had been reported missing after they failed to show up to supper. Lord HaMinch had suspected that they were off hiding somewhere or were pulling a prank somewhere in the castle. He had begun to get suspicious when he found a note pined to Leo's door, written by Robyn, informing whoever found it that they were off searching for Leo and note to worry about them as Evan was coming with them. Lord HaMinch had taken the note immediately to the king and queen. Unfortunately for HaMinch, Alanna was there with their Majesties as well. It took the combined efforts of George, Raoul and finally an order from Jonathon for her to calm down.

"I can't lose my youngest son!" She snapped. "I already lost my daughter once and that was horrible enough! I couldn't even tell if she was alive or not!"

"You're not the only one with a son missing, Lioness!" Thayet had snapped back. Although her eyes were red from crying, it did not decrease her beauty.

"Please, stop this arguing!" Jon roared. "We will achieve nothing if we bicker like this." After that explosion, they had ordered the servants to look through the pages rooms to see if there was any hint as to where they had gone. Finding nothing, they then turned to Evan's room since the pages had written that they were off to enlist the water mage's help in their quest to find their friend. Upon seeing the black pentagram and circle on the ground, Jonathon had ordered Numair to come immediately.

"Jon," Alanna whispered and gripped her king's arm. "I thought this type of magic was outlawed almost a hundred years ago? All the necromancers who practiced this sort of magic were also killed!"

"I don't know." Jon admitted and shook his head.

Numair had swept into the room, his black mage robes billowing behind him. Using the combined force of their magic, Jon, Alanna and Numair had repeated the spell that Evan had effortlessly executed only hours before. Their journey to the swamp was much gentler then the pages' had been. When they arrived, they found Dorian still wrapped in vines, Liam still screaming from his broken leg and Selene and Robyn laying passed out, with Evan laying still not far off. Leo had been sitting next to Selene, shocked to see his mother and their Majesties come barreling out of a swarm of colored clouds in the sky. Alanna had run to Leo and clutched him tightly to her. Without a moment to spare they had whisked them back to Corus and brought them straight to the infirmary ward were they were treated right away and monitored closely. Selene remembered nothing of it at all and dreamed of flying on a black dragon.

The best moment had happened yesterday evening, when Selene had finally woken up. The red and orange light of the fading sunset had streamed in from her window and painted a mural of color on her bedspread and wall. It was quiet when she woke up, yet when she looked around she found Leo sitting next to her in an armchair, fast asleep. She had clenched her blankets tightly, and her throat constricted. Was she dreaming? Was Leo really alive? Before she passed out in the swamp she thought she had heard his voice but she couldn't trust herself as she had been delirious with pain. But it wasn't a dream. She had sat up in bed and swung her legs over the side and leapt onto Leo with a happy cry. Leo woke up, astonished to find his injured friend tackling him.

"Selene!" he sputtered, blushing. Selene was quite aware that she was only in her nightgown which came down to only her knees but she didn't care. Her friend was alive and well.

"Leo I'm so sorry," She mumbled into his hair and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so sorry that we made you go through with all of this horrible stuff. I can't tell you how much it would hurt me if something awful happened to you."

Leo hesitated, then hugged her tight. "You don't have to be sorry for anything. You went to all that trouble to try and find me."

"Yeah but I didn't know that we hurt you that badly. It didn't seem as if we were doing any damage to you but we really did." Selene sniffled slightly, trying not to cry.

"I think risking your life for me makes up for it."

"Accept my apology ok?" Selene demanded.

"Alright, apology accepted." Leo smiled. "I forgive you, just like I forgave Dorian, Robyn and Liam."

They had sat there quietly after that, as words were not needed. Selene had felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders and she could sleep peacefully that night after Leo had left. She had shocked the attendant this morning when he walked in to find her sitting upright in bed and asking for a huge meal. Evidently Leo had failed to mention that she was awake to any of the infirmary staff. Moments later after the attendant had gone to the head healer, Dorian ran into the room and launched himself onto her bed.

"Selene you're awake!' He laughed. Selene couldn't help herself as she pulled Dorian into a tight embrace. She was overjoyed to find that her friends were alive. Yet, she was unaccustomed to this affection. She saw the cruel bruises on Dorian's exposed skin, a sign from the vines that Artis had called to strangle him in the swamp. Selene regarded them with guilt, as it was her that Artis had been after.

Liam hobbled in on crutches a while later, his brother Matheo right behind him.

"Good morning Sleeping Beauty." Matheo exclaimed. "You're looking as beautiful and dangerous as always." Selene had thrown her apple at him from her breakfast tray and the room had broken out with peals of laughter. Selene still wasn't sure what her situation with Matheo was and while everyone was used to Matheo's public displays like this, they were all under the impression that it was merely joking on Matheo's and Selene's parts. None suspected that there was anything between the two. Well, all except for Robyn who had found them in the river that one summer afternoon but had remained silent on that issue. Selene was still surprised that he had never confronted her about it.

"Oh come on Matheo," Liam slowly edged himself into a chair and propped his broken leg up on a foot rest. "Don't aggravate her already, she'll tear her stitches. We can't have her bleeding to death."

"Evan will kill you." Dorian said and Leo nodded in agreement.

"I promise I won't do anything!" Matheo laughed and held up his hands in surrender. "I just wanted to drop in before I had to go to my next class and see how you're doing."

"Well obviously I'm not dying at the moment so I suppose the coast is clear." Selene said.

Matheo patted her foot through the blankets. "Alright let me know if you start dying so I can come and say good-bye, alright?"

"Trust me; you'll be the first to know." Selene said in her usual sarcastic voice.

Matheo smiled broadly and clapped Liam on his broken leg before he left Selene's infirmary room. Liam squeaked in pain.

"I swear I'll show him one day," Liam muttered darkly. Selene shook her head and then frowned. Someone was missing here.

"Wait, where's Robyn? And where's Evan?" She feared the worst.

Leo clasped his hands together. "Don't worry there perfectly fine. When we were rescued the fever had set in already in Robyn and the queen feared that he was going to fall ill again just like when he was younger. He was treated by the best healers here so he's in no danger of relapsing again."

"He's still a bit sick right now so he was put in the room right next to you." Dorian finished. "He wakes up repeatedly a few times a day but sleeps for the most part. Evan is in the other room next to you and he's perfectly healthy, although he's sleeping quite a bit. His wounds are sealed and healing, the healers made sure of that. "

"I'll go tell them that you're awake next time I go in to see them Selene!" Leo said brightly.

Selene sighed in relief. However annoying Robyn and Evan could be at times they were still her friends. If they were to die she didn't know what she would do with herself. How horrible it was, and how unfair that she should finally have friends to care for and but yet at any moment something could happen to them and they would be gone from her life. She remembered her musings after the hurrocks had attacked and killed the squires last fall. She had wondered then what it would be like to lose a friend but now she really did not want to know. The blasted bell interrupted her thoughts and Leo and Dorian jumped up.

"We're sorry Selene but we have to go now!" Dorian apologized.

"We're still expected to show up for training." Leo put his hand on the door handle. "Except for Liam of course; you can't do much with a broken leg." Liam stuck out his tongue at Leo. "Oh one more thing: The king wishes to speak to us later, now that you're finally awake. I thought you should know."

Dorian sighed. "I don't think we're in that much trouble, but just be prepared. We'll come back this evening!" With that, the two boys left Selene's room and closed the door behind them. Suddenly, the room felt much bigger then it previously had. Selene picked idly at the threads of her blanket and Liam basked in the late autumn sun coming in from the window.

"I wonder what the king will have to say to us?" Liam wondered.

"Remember last fall when the hurrocks attacked?" Selene asked. Liam nodded. "Well I think he's going to say the same thing he told me last time: don't recklessly endanger yourself and don't recklessly endanger others."

Liam lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "That's all he said? I always thought there was more to that meeting then just a warning to take care of yourself."

"Well no," Selene admitted. "Numair was also there. He was angry at me that I had removed my bracelets. I remember when he first put them on me when I was young. He specially told me to never remove them, no matter what the circumstances. There really was never a reason for me to remove them before and even though they made my wrists itch at times I always kept them on."

"But Numair didn't exactly know that you would become a page one day did he?" Liam tapped his fingers against his crutches. "He thought that you would become a lady and really never have a need to use your Gift for anything powerful."

"That's true," Selene admitted, surprised. She had never thought of that before. "I suppose it startled him when he received word that I was to come here after being at the convent for a year. Usually girls arrive there, and stay there until they are ready to come to Court."

"He never figured that you would have to use your Gift to fight." Liam sighed. "Sometimes I wish I had the Gift. But then I remember that having any sort of Gift can be complicated and requires so much training. I would never want to go through all that trouble and work."

Selene shrugged her shoulders. "You can't really gain anything without working hard. The end product is a reflection of the work you put into it. If you want to be powerful then you have to train and put the effort into learning. It won't just come naturally."

" 'The end product is a reflection of the work you put into it'? Huh?" Liam asked. "Please don't tell me you're turning into one of those old crone wise women who talk in riddles and give out cryptic life lessons all the time."

Selene scowled. "You're just lazy you know that right?"

Liam chuckled and stretched his arms behind his head. "Yes I know."

Selene tossed her pillow at him. "For your information no, I'm not turning into an old crone. That's something Evan told me." She looked off to the side. "Sometimes, I feel like getting my Gift under control is too hard. But one day, I hope to master it and become the most powerful mage, or fire mage, in the land."

"Alright you do that. I'll be your loyal sidekick." Liam yawned widely.

"That just means you're too lazy to make a name for yourself." Selene said exasperatedly. Liam did not reply but instead just grinned. It was odd to see now how much Liam and Matheo resembled each other, even though they were three years apart. Both had light blonde hair and dark hazel eyes, while Liam had a light smattering of freckles across his face. It wasn't the obnoxious freckles though. Their faces were similar with a strong jaw, a straight nose and smooth skin. But yet, there were small differences too, that Selene observed for they would never look completely alike, unless they were twins.

"Liam," Selene said in a soft voice. Her friend opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Did you really mean all those things you said in the swamp to Robyn?"

Silence.

"Yes." Liam answered. He coughed ever so slightly and blushed. "I don't even want to think about that. I haven't seen him since we were recused."

"Why?"

"I'm so ashamed. He was my friend and I said all those nasty things to him." Liam sighed heavily. "Sometimes I feel jealous of Robyn. Maybe because he's famous already and no one will ever know about me. Maybe because he has everything handed to him and I work for what I have. But I'm nobility so I don't have it that bad either."

"Perhaps you have some reason to be jealous," The black-haired girl fingered her bandages tenderly. "But..."

"But what?" Liam prompted.

"I'm horrible with these conversations!" Selene screeched and clutched her head. "Don't ask me for advice on friends and if it's ok to be jealous. I'll be the best friend I can be but advice is not my strong point."

"It's not my strong point either but I try to help when I can."

"Yes but people actually want to listen to you."

Liam looked confused. "Whatever do you mean? I think if people ask you something then they might want to listen to you."

"Yes, you think they might." Selene pointed out. ""But if you're 'half-blood' or a 'bastard', people want nothing to do with you."

"Do you honestly think that everyone in life will hate you just because you're a…bastard?" Liam hesitated to use the term, for it was a scourge upon his friend that she would forever live with, and nothing would ever erase that stigma.

"You're asking the wrong person you know that?" Selene glowered at him. "I don't know the first thing about people. In fact, most of them don't even like me, mostly because of the fact that I'm a bastard child, something that I can't even control."

"You're wrong." Selene looked up in surprise. "I like you. And Leo. As well as Robyn, Evan and even my brother." Liam gathered up his crutches. "I think I might leave before one of us starts crying." Liam smiled and Selene knew it was his way of saying that he accepted her the way she was. "Besides, HaMinch specifically told me that I was to report down to the armory in the afternoon so I can do something useful with myself and repair some old leathers."

"Well I don't envy you there." Selene murmured.

"I'll stop by in the evening, alright?" Liam made his way to the door. Before he was completely out the door, Selene called out to him.

"Liam, thank you."

Liam turned around, confused once more. "Thank you for what?"

Selene gave him a look which clearly said that she thought him incompetent. "Well if I have to explain that to you then I take it back."

Liam only laughed. "I don't know what I'd do without you, dragonet." He quickly shut the door behind him to avoid her wrath by using her hated nickname for her that Matheo had come up with.

"Don't call me that!" Selene gasped and screamed at him through the closed door. "It's bad enough that your brother does it!"

* * *

**I hope Selene's and Liam's conversation wasn't as cheesy as Leo's and Selene's was. There's more questions like why didn't they talk about Artis. Frankly, there's a lot of information that I need to cover so I'm getting at that next time. So I apologize for not updating more often but I have been really busy lately. I recently got a part-time job so I'm working now. It's exhausting, surprisingly. I wish I didn't have to get a job but I have to pay for college next year somehow! I hope this chapter cleared up a few questions as to how they were saved and stuff. Review Please! Next chapter will be up sooner! Do you have any questions about this story that need clearing up on? Also, for all those on the East Coast, stay safe during Hurricane Irene. I'm in D.C. so thankfully we're only getting rain and wind but I know the power is probably going to go out soon. Who else is the hurricane's path? **


	23. New Beginning

**Dear lovely readers,**

**For those that were hoping for a new chapter, I apologize. While I may not have updated in months, and it's almost killed me not to, this story has never been far from thought. In fact, I frequently daydream about it and during my AP Government test today I spaced out for a good ten minutes thinking of a new adventure that Selene and her friends could go on. **

**So to get to the point of the matter, I've re-read my story completely through (all of the fabulous 26 chapters that I'm **_**extremely**_** proud of) and decided that I've hit a dead end. It's not that I don't like my story. I love. It's just the way that I've presented it and written it that frustrates me. **

**Now some of you may be thinking "Oh good God girl it's freaking FanFiction! You're not writing a novel!" or "She's obsessing over this too much." Or "Get over yourself you're not that important." Haha I hope you're not thinking that. **

**Anyway, this is going to be the last chapter of this story. **

**Yup. And I'm going to edit and rewrite **_**Into the Flames **_**and post the edited version under a different story. Same title just _Into the Flames: Revised_. So it'll be much better, in a better format, more detailed, more background, smoother storyline and I can do away with the less important details. So hopefully by Friday I'll have the first 2 chapters up and then proceed with a more regular updating schedule. After I get up the edited chapters I can finish the story as I planned. It's just that the way I've written it interferes with the storyline and now I feel that I'm writing to satisfy the beginning of the story instead of beginning the story so that the end makes sense. You get what I mean right?**

**I'm doing this mainly because I love writing. And I may be obsessing over this too much but I want to continue with this story to the end because if I don't then I'll go crazy over it. And I'm sorry if you wanted a continuation of the story but I can't do it when I've messed it up.**

**So I may have lost readers and reviewers who may have enjoyed this very much and I hope you'll have a little faith that I may finish this portion of the story before I go to college in August.**

**I hope to hear your feedback, flames, well-wishs or otherwise relevant (or non-relevent) thoughts you may have.**

**-Black-Venom-Heart**


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